The Qatar national football team are currently in Austria in continuation of their preparations for the next chapter of their journey towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Al Annabi kicked off a crucial 17-day training camp under the watchful eyes of head coach Julen Lopetegui as they aim to make the cut for the global football showpiece which will be hosted jointly by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The Austrian camp is Lopetegui’s first true opportunity to test the 30-man squad.
The team will also play two friendly matches during their stay in Austria.
Qatar now stand at the most demanding phase of the AFC Asian Qualifiers, the fourth round.
The draw on July 17 will reveal Qatar’s precise path. The formidable list of potential opponents includes Iraq, Oman, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, guaranteeing fierce regional rivalries where every point will be crucial.
With only the winner of the group securing a direct ticket to North America, there is no margin for error.
This will be Lopetegui’s main concern as he looks to make full use of the intensive Austria camp, which comes at a pivotal moment.
The 58-year-old Lopetegui, who boasts an illustrious career of coaching sides of the caliber of the Spanish national team, Porto, Real Madrid, Sevilla, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United, is out to prove he is the ideal man to find the perfect blend to carry the two-time Asian champions to the next World Cup.
At this crucial juncture, Lopetegui will be relieved to see the return of a national icon in captain Hassan Al Haydos who recently reversed his international retirement to rejoin the squad.
Al Haydos’ experience, leading the side to win back to back Asian titles, will act as a bridge between the squad which represents Qatar’s glorious past and an ambitious future.
Just the day before they left the country, the latest FIFA rankings showed Qatar climbing to 53rd in the world and 5th in Asia providing a key confidence boost for the members of the squad as they prepare to carry the nation’s hopes into the next round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
