Qatar players began training at the Aspire Academy yesterday under the watchful eyes of coach Marquez Lopez as the Asian Champions prepare for their crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates.
Qatar’s qualifying campaign so far has been rocky. With only four points from four games, they find themselves six points behind Group A leaders Iran and Uzbekistan, who have 10 points each and currently occupy the automatic qualifying spots. Qatar’s last qualifier ended in a disappointing 1-4 loss to Iran, and Lopez’s side is under pressure to deliver strong performances if they hope to stay in contention.
The upcoming clash against Uzbekistan on Thursday (November 14) at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium can prove to be decisive. Uzbekistan are in fine form and will pose a significant threat and Qatar can’t afford another loss. Following the Uzbekistan game, Qatar will travel to Abu Dhabi to face the United Arab Emirate on November 19. Qatar previously lost to the UAE at home, so this match is also an opportunity for redemption.
For Qatar, reaching the World Cup first time on merit remains a monumental goal. While they qualified as hosts in 2022, the team has never advanced through the qualification stages.
Lopez has called up forward Mohammed Muntari, who makes return to the squad after a prolonged recovery from a serious knee injury. The lanky forward, a key figure in Qatar’s attacking setup, sustained his injury in a friendly against Cambodia on December 31, just before the AFC Asian Cup. In addition to Muntari, Lopez has included Al Sadd midfielder Mustafa Tariq and Al Duhail left-back Homam al-Amin, while Mohammed Ayash (Al Duhail), Naif al-Hadhrami (Al Shahania), and Ahmed Alaa (Al Arabi) have been left out.
Qatar squad
Goalkeepers: Marwan Sherif (Al Ahli), Meshaal Barsham (Al Sadd), Saad al-Sheeb (Al Sadd), Salah Zakaria (Al Duhail)
Defenders: Abdelrahman Moustafa (Al Ahli), Abdullah al-Yazidi, (Al Sadd), Abdelkarim Hassan (Al Wakrah), Ahmed Fathy (Al Arabi), Ahmed al-Ganehi (Al Gharafa), Bassam al-Rawi (Al Duhail), Boualem Khoukhi (Al Duhail), Homam al-Amin (Al Gharafa), Ibrahim al-Hassan (Cultural Leonesa – Spain), Tarek Salman (Al Sadd), Sultan al-Brake (Al Duhail), Lucas Mendez (Al Wakrah)
Midfielders: Almahdi Ali (Al Wakrah), Ismaeel Mohammad (Al Duhail), Jassim Jaber (Al Arabi), Mohammed Waad (Al Sadd), Mostafa Tarek (Al Sadd), Yousef Abdulrazaq (Al Gharafa), Abdulaziz Hatem (Al Rayyan)
Forwards: Akram Afif (Al Sadd), Almoez Ali (Al Duhail), Edmilson Junior (Al Duhail), Mohammed Muntari (Al Gharafa)
Qatar coach Marquez Lopez talks to his players during a training session at the Aspire Academy yesterday.
