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The Republic of Ireland national team secured a victory over FIFA World Cup 2026 participant Qatar in a recent friendly match.

Qatar’s head coach, Julen Lopetegui, has officially unveiled his 26-man squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, which will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The Qatari side heads to North America determined to move past their disappointing campaign at the 2022 edition on home soil. Back then, Qatar made unwanted history as the first host nation to lose all three of their group-stage matches despite significant investment leading up to the tournament.

Since that setback, Qatar has been quietly rebuilding and reclaimed their Asian Cup title in 2023. Their progress culminated in a historic moment as they qualified for the World Cup through the qualification rounds for the very first time.

Lopetegui, who previously managed Real Madrid, retained the core of his established lineup, including several players from the 2022 squad. Key names such as defender Pedro Miguel, goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham, and midfielders Assim Madibo, Abdulaziz Hatem, and Karim Boudiaf remain central to the team’s structure.

Most of Qatar’s players are products of the Aspire Academy, the developmental institution that has been instrumental in the nation’s football resurgence over the past decade. However, questions persist regarding whether a squad largely composed of domestic league players can effectively compete against the world’s elite teams.

Concerns deepened after Qatar’s unexpected group-stage exit from the Arab Cup last December despite being the host nation. Additionally, planned high-profile friendly matches against Serbia and reigning world champions Argentina in March were canceled, denying Lopetegui crucial opportunities for top-level preparation.

This poses a significant challenge for the Spanish tactician as he aims to guide Qatar toward a surprise performance at the 2026 World Cup.

Despite these hurdles, optimism has returned following a relatively balanced draw for The Maroons. The 2026 World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19, places Qatar in Group B alongside Canada, Switzerland, and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Qatar will open their campaign against Switzerland in Santa Clara on June 13, followed by a clash with Canada in Vancouver on June 18. They will close their group-stage fixtures facing Bosnia & Herzegovina in Seattle on June 24.

It is worth noting that Qatar will also face Indonesia in the group stage of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, which will be held in Saudi Arabia early next year. Both nations are drawn in Group F alongside Japan and Thailand.

QATAR NATIONAL TEAM SQUAD FOR FIFA WORLD CUP 2026

Goalkeepers: Salah Zakaria, Mahmoud Abunada, Meshaal Barsham

Defenders: Hashmi Hussein, Ayoub Alawi, Boualem Khoukhi, Pedro Miguel, Issa Laaye, Lucas Mendes, Sultan Al-Brake, Homam Al-Amin

Midfielders: Mohammed Al-Manai, Jassem Jaber, Karim Boudiaf, Ahmed Fathi, Abdulaziz Hatem, Assim Madibo

Forwards: Tahseen Mohammed, Edmilson Junior, Almoez Ali, Akram Afif, Mohammed Muntari, Youssef Abdulrazzaq, Ahmed Alaa, Hassan Al-Haydos, Ahmed Al-Janahi