Action during the friendly match between Qatar U-23 and Heracles Almelo.
Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s national under-23 football team continued their preparations for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games during an overseas training camp in the Netherlands, with the squad aiming to reach peak technical and physical condition ahead of the continental event.
As part of the camp’s programme, Qatar faced Dutch club Heracles Almelo in a friendly match, with the hosts securing a 2-0 victory. The fixture formed part of the coaching staff’s plans to provide players with valuable match experience against strong opposition while assessing the squad’s readiness before the Asian Games.
The training camp includes a series of friendly matches designed to improve match fitness, strengthen team chemistry and fine-tune tactical preparations ahead of the tournament, which will be held in Japan from September 15 to October 3.
Qatar have been drawn in a challenging Group D alongside South Korea and Saudi Arabia in the men’s football competition, setting up what is expected to be a highly competitive battle for places in the knockout stage.
A total of 15 teams will compete in the tournament.
The group stage will be played in a single round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group advancing directly to the Round of 16, along with the best third-placed teams.
The competition will then continue on a knockout basis through to the final, with a third-place playoff also scheduled.
The coaching staff is looking to maximise the benefits of the Netherlands camp by building greater understanding among the players while further improving their technical and physical readiness.
The overseas training programme is considered an important stage in Qatar’s preparations as the team seeks to enter the Asian Games in the best possible condition and compete strongly against the continent’s leading under-23 sides.
