Qatar players began training ahead of their crucial World Cup 2026 qualifiers against North Korea and Kyrgyzstan. The Asian champions will take on North Korea at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Thursday, March 20, followed by an away fixture against Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek on March 25. Spanish head coach Luis Garcia, who oversaw the training, has selected a 30-player squad for two matches. Qatar currently sit fourth in the standings after a 5-0 defeat to the United Arab Emirates, leaving them nine points behind Group A leaders Iran. Uzbekistan are second with 13 points, while the UAE has 10. Kyrgyzstan and North Korea occupy the bottom spots with three and two points, respectively. With only four matches remaining, the fixtures represent a critical opportunity for Qatar to climb the standings and bolster their World Cup qualification hopes.