Qatar World Cup 2026 team guide

This article is portion of nan Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a practice betwixt immoderate of nan champion media organisations from nan 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is moving previews from 3 countries each time successful nan run-up to nan tourney kicking disconnected connected 11 June.

The plan

The 2022 hosts’ preparations for nan tourney were disrupted arsenic nan US-Iran warfare caused nan cancellation of valuable friendlies against Serbia and champions Argentina successful March. The coach, Julen Lopetegui, had wanted arsenic galore minutes arsenic imaginable pinch his players, having only been appointed successful May 2025. Worryingly, they had won only 1 retired of 11 games nether nan erstwhile Spain and Real Madrid head earlier nan World Cup warm-up games.

Lopetegui did what he had to do though, making judge Qatar reached nan World Cup finals, but it was a adjacent call. The Maroons vanished 4th retired of six teams successful nan main qualifying group earlier – aided by location advantage and a favourable schedule – drafting 0-0 pinch Oman and beating UAE 2-1 to guarantee qualification.

The Spanish coach, nan latest of respective Iberian appointments (Félix Sánchez, Bruno Pinheiro, Carlos Queiroz, Tintín Márquez and Luis García) has tried retired respective different formations but is apt to spell pinch a 4-2-3-1 erstwhile nan tourney starts.

The lessons from nan past World Cup person been debated astatine length. Then, it was complete beautiful overmuch earlier it had started arsenic nan hosts, possibly burdened by a buildup that lasted 12 years, went 2-0 down wrong 31 minutes of their opening crippled to Ecuador, and it could person been moreover more.

Expect a much coagulated set-up this clip around; a attraction connected keeping things tight and looking to deed group opponents Canada, Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina connected nan counter. There is activity to beryllium done arsenic nan squad were each complete nan spot defensively successful qualifying, finishing nan main information pinch a extremity quality of minus 7 aft conceding 24 times successful 10 games. Lopetegui has been trying to get to grips pinch that peculiar problem and we will soon spot really successful he has been successful that respect.

Going guardant location will beryllium typical attraction to group pieces, wherever Qatar consciousness they tin wounded their opponents. “We are alert of nan magnitude of nan work placed upon us,” Lopetegui says. “We will spare nary effort and will springiness everything we person to make nan fans who guidelines down america and support america happy and proud.”

The coach

Julen Lopetegui has plentifulness of acquisition pinch Spain and Real Madrid earlier moving to England to lead Wolves and West Ham. His estimation is possibly not rather what it was but Qatar offered thing different. “Life owed maine a World Cup,” he said upon qualifying. “We’ve been moving for this infinitesimal for months and everything has turned retired well. It’s a historical infinitesimal for nan country, thing that’s ne'er been achieved before. The ambiance has been extraordinary.” He will dream that this tourney goes amended than erstwhile he travelled to Russia for nan 2018 World Cup arsenic Spain manager: arsenic news of his woody to return complete astatine Real Madrid aft nan tourney came out, he was promptly dismissed and replaced by Fernando Hierro.

Star player

Akram Afif has been 1 of nan stars of Asian shot since nan 2019 Asian Cup, erstwhile he recorded 10 assists arsenic Qatar triumphed. Four years later, successful nan aforesaid tournament, he scored 8 and made headlines astir nan world by scoring a hat-trick successful nan final, picking retired a playing paper from his socks each clip he did so. He tried his luck successful Europe successful Belgium (KAS Eupen) and Spain (Villarreal and Sporting Gijón) but it did not rather activity out. He has been backmost successful Qatar since 2020. He has ever had nan talent but did not negociate to show it astatine nan 2022 World Cup, truthful this is his chance.

Akram Afif (right) finds nan nett during Qatar’s friends against Russia successful September. Photograph: Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto/Getty Images

One to watch

Mohamed Al-Mannai. The Tunisian-born prima adds a beingness beingness successful midfield, wherever he tin play beautiful overmuch anywhere, from a holding domiciled to further up nan transportation and, astatine 22, location seems to beryllium overmuch much to come. Made his debut for nan famed Al-Sadd arsenic a teen earlier being loaned retired to Al-Shamal. It was nan correct move and he contributed to nan nine having a successful play pinch 5 goals, earning nan Under-23 Player of nan Season grant successful nan process. Lopetegui seems to beryllium a instrumentality too.

Unsung hero

Boualem Khoukhi will beryllium 36 during nan tourney truthful this is nan past chance for nan Algerian-born defender to make world headlines. Has played much than 100 times for his adopted nationalist squad and successful a assortment of positions, netting 21 goals astatine nan clip of writing. Most of his goals for nan nationalist squad came arsenic he was playing further guardant – and he tin still capable successful wherever Lopetegui needs him. His confidence, reliability and acquisition has been weighted by a succession of coaches astatine world level pinch galore seeing him arsenic nan eventual professional.

Probable starting XI

Illustration: Guardian

What to expect from fans

With 1 of nan smallest populations of immoderate World Cup nation, Qatari fans are not going to recreation successful immoderate important numbers. Also, dissimilar immoderate different Asian teams, location isn’t really immoderate organization to speak of successful North America to get down nan Maroons. The Qatari people opus Shoomilah has go associated pinch nan nationalist squad and became thing of an unofficial anthem during nan 2022 World Cup and is nan astir apt to beryllium heard successful San Francisco, Vancouver and Seattle.

Relationship pinch US/Trump?

Qatar is simply a cardinal US state pinch beardown diplomatic, economical and subject ties, and location is an American airbase successful nan country. The state has tried to enactment adjacent to Trump and gave nan president a $400m level – dubbed Palace successful nan Sky – past year. But nan warfare successful Iran has been an rumor pinch nan US attacks starring to retaliation from Tehran connected Qatar, which has damaged infrastructure and nan country’s image.