FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022?: European qualifiers
Published: 20 Mar 2021 - 10:36 am | Last Updated: 01 Nov 2021 - 01:47 pm
Qatar's Hassan Al Haydos and team-mates moments before boarding an aircraft ahead of their departure for Hungary yesterday.
Doha: The 29-member Qatar squad, coached by Spaniard Felix Sanchez, yesterday left for Hungary ahead of the European qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022️.
Ahead of their departure, the squad underwent training at Aspire Zone under the watchful eyes of the coach as they prepared to face the European heavyweights in the qualifiers.
The reigning Asian champions, Qatar, being the FIFA World Cup 2022 host nation, have already qualified for the tournament, but they are taking part in the European stage with the hope of getting match practice in the lead up to the global football spectacle.
At the European qualifiers, Al Annabi will join Group A – alongside UEFA Euro 2016 winners Portugal, Serbia, Republic of Ireland, Luxembourg, and Azerbaijan.
Qatar will play their ‘home’ fixtures on European soil in order to facilitate shorter travel times for their group opponents.
Qatar take on Luxembourg in their first match on March 24. The second match will be against Azerbaijan on March 27.
They will face Ireland on March 30.
The last time Qatar played against a European side was in 2018, when they forced a 2-2 draw against Iceland in a friendly encounter which took place at the Kehrwegstadion in Eupen, Belgium.
Qatar will play their first three matches at the Nagyerdei Stadion in Hungary.
