Qatar World Cup 2026 team guide

This article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.

The plan

The 2022 hosts’ preparations for the tournament were disrupted as the US-Iran war caused the cancellation of valuable friendlies against Serbia and champions Argentina in March. The coach, Julen Lopetegui, had wanted as many minutes as possible with his players, having only been appointed in May 2025. Worryingly, they had won only one out of 11 games under the former Spain and Real Madrid manager before the World Cup warm-up games.

Lopetegui did what he had to do though, making sure Qatar reached the World Cup finals, but it was a close call. The Maroons finished fourth out of six teams in the main qualifying group before – aided by home advantage and a favourable schedule – drawing 0-0 with Oman and beating UAE 2-1 to ensure qualification.

The Spanish coach, the latest of several Iberian appointments (Félix Sánchez, Bruno Pinheiro, Carlos Queiroz, Tintín Márquez and Luis García) has tried out several different formations but is likely to go with a 4-2-3-1 when the tournament starts.

The lessons from the last World Cup have been debated at length. Then, it was over pretty much before it had started as the hosts, perhaps burdened by a buildup that lasted 12 years, went 2-0 down within 31 minutes of their opening game to Ecuador, and it could have been even more.

Expect a more solid set-up this time around; a focus on keeping things tight and looking to hit group opponents Canada, Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina on the counter. There is work to be done as the team were all over the place defensively in qualifying, finishing the main round with a goal difference of minus seven after conceding 24 times in 10 games. Lopetegui has been trying to get to grips with that particular problem and we will soon see how successful he has been in that respect.

Going forward there will be special attention to set pieces, where Qatar feel they can hurt their opponents. “We are aware of the magnitude of the responsibility placed upon us,” Lopetegui says. “We will spare no effort and will give everything we have to make the fans who stand behind us and support us happy and proud.”

The coach

Julen Lopetegui has plenty of experience with Spain and Real Madrid before moving to England to lead Wolves and West Ham. His reputation is perhaps not quite what it was but Qatar offered something different. “Life owed me a World Cup,” he said upon qualifying. “We’ve been working for this moment for months and everything has turned out well. It’s a historic moment for the country, something that’s never been achieved before. The atmosphere has been extraordinary.” He will hope that this tournament goes better than when he travelled to Russia for the 2018 World Cup as Spain manager: as news of his deal to take over at Real Madrid after the tournament came out, he was promptly dismissed and replaced by Fernando Hierro.

Star player

Akram Afif has been one of the stars of Asian football since the 2019 Asian Cup, when he recorded 10 assists as Qatar triumphed. Four years later, in the same tournament, he scored eight and made headlines around the world by scoring a hat-trick in the final, picking out a playing card from his socks every time he did so. He tried his luck in Europe in Belgium (KAS Eupen) and Spain (Villarreal and Sporting Gijón) but it did not quite work out. He has been back in Qatar since 2020. He has always had the talent but did not manage to show it at the 2022 World Cup, so this is his chance.

Akram Afif (right) finds the net during Qatar’s friendly against Russia in September. Photograph: Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto/Getty Images

One to watch

Mohamed Al-Mannai. The Tunisian-born star adds a physical presence in midfield, where he can play pretty much anywhere, from a holding role to further up the pitch and, at 22, there seems to be much more to come. Made his debut for the famed Al-Sadd as a teenager before being loaned out to Al-Shamal. It was the right move and he contributed to the club having a successful season with five goals, earning the Under-23 Player of the Season award in the process. Lopetegui seems to be a fan too.

Unsung hero

Boualem Khoukhi will be 36 during the tournament so this is the last chance for the Algerian-born defender to make international headlines. Has played more than 100 times for his adopted national team and in a variety of positions, netting 21 goals at the time of writing. Most of his goals for the national team came as he was playing further forward – and he can still fill in wherever Lopetegui needs him. His confidence, reliability and experience has been valued by a succession of coaches at international level with many seeing him as the ultimate professional.

Probable starting XI

Illustration: Guardian

What to expect from fans

With one of the smallest populations of any World Cup nation, Qatari fans are not going to travel in any significant numbers. Also, unlike some other Asian teams, there isn’t really any community to speak of in North America to get behind the Maroons. The Qatari folk song Shoomilah has become associated with the national team and became something of an unofficial anthem during the 2022 World Cup and is the most likely to be heard in San Francisco, Vancouver and Seattle.

Relationship with US/Trump?

Qatar is a key US ally with strong diplomatic, economic and military ties, and there is an American airbase in the country. The country has tried to stay close to Trump and gave the president a $400m plane – dubbed Palace in the Sky – last year. But the war in Iran has been an issue with the US attacks leading to retaliation from Tehran on Qatar, which has damaged infrastructure and the country’s image.