Qatar at the World Cup 2026: Squad, Group & Path

Qatar at the World Cup 2026

Asian champions Qatar return seeking a result on the road.

Under Julen Lopetegui, Qatar bring a squad worth getting to know before a ball is kicked. The names to watch include Akram Afif (FW), Almoez Ali (FW), Hassan Al Haydos (FW), and Boualem Khoukhi (DF). Together they shape how this side will press, build, and threaten across three group games, and they give supporters plenty to track from the opening whistle through the final group fixture.

The group. Drawn into Group B, Qatar go head-to-head with Switzerland, Canada, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. It is a section that rewards a strong start, and every point will matter when the standings are settled. The fixture to circle early is Qatar vs Switzerland, a game that could set the tone for everything that follows in the group.

The path. Win the group and the bracket opens up with a kinder route into the knockout rounds; finish second and a sterner draw awaits. Either way, the road to the final runs through the last 32, the last 16, and beyond, where margins shrink and a single moment can decide a campaign.

What success looks like: a first World Cup win away from home soil.

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