Qatar have cleared the first hurdle towards their first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup in style as the two-time Asian champions remained unbeaten in the second round of AFC Asian Cup 2027 and the FIFA World Cup 2026 joint qualifiers that concluded recently.
Qatar, coached by Marquez Lopez under whom they successfully defended their Asian Cup crown earlier this year, topped their group that also included Kuwait, India and Afghanistan.
They had clinched the top spot in the group and a place in the next Asian Cup in advance after winning their first four matches. Al Annabi had made their debut in the World Cup two years but they were assured of a spot only as the home team as Qatar hosted the 2022 edition of the global showpiece.
But, if the national team maintains its brilliant run that also includes a phenomenal performance in their latest Asian Cup triumph, it has a strong chance of making history by qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in history. They are among the 18 teams of the continent, who progressed to the third round of the Asian Qualifiers for the World Cup. These teams now await the draw which will form three groups with the ceremony scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on June 27.
These nations will vie for eight confirmed spots for the 2026 World Cup. Besides, an Asian side can also book one additional berth through a play-off. The next World Cup, which will see 48 nations competing in the FIFA showpiece for the first time, will be hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Lopez tested many youngsters by resting senior players like Akram Afif and Almoez Ali for Qatar’s last two second-round matches against Afghanistan and India. These young players displayed impressive performance in both the matches sharing points with Afghanistan while earning a 2-1 comeback victory against India, signaling a bright future for Al Annabi.
The Spanish coach had also praised the performance of these players including the ones who made their international debuts during these matches. “I am proud of my players, and I am happy to maintain our unbeaten run throughout the qualifiers.”
Qatar will now enter the third round brimming with confidence as they have been outstanding in 2024 and have not lost a game since their defeat to Jordan in a pre-Asian Cup friendly on January 5. Out of 11 games, they have won 10 besides playing a goalless draw against Afghanistan recently.
