Qatar
QAT · AFC
Head Coach
Julen Lopetegui
Julen Lopetegui leads Qatar into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, tasked with guiding the squad through a competitive Group B and beyond. The coaching staff has been preparing tactical approaches tailored to the expanded 48-team tournament format.
Group Stage Venue
Toronto
Qatar will play their group stage matches in Toronto. The 2026 World Cup is the first to be hosted across three nations — the United States, Mexico, and Canada — with matches spread across 16 world-class venues.
Squad (26 players)
Goalkeepers
Defenders
Midfielders
Forwards
Recent Form & Current State
Qatar qualified through AFC qualification and won the Asian Cup in 2023 for the second consecutive time. Under new coach Julen Lopetegui, they are looking to improve on their 2022 World Cup showing. The team's technical quality has improved significantly.
Form heading into a major tournament is often a key indicator of how far a team can progress. Qatar, currently ranked #55 in the FIFA World Rankings, will look to carry momentum from their recent qualifying and friendly campaigns into the group stage. Consistency in results and squad cohesion built during the qualification cycle will be vital assets. The AFCrepresentatives will be eager to demonstrate their quality on the world's biggest stage in 2026.
World Cup History
Qatar made their World Cup debut as hosts in 2022 but lost all three group games, becoming the worst-performing host nation in history. They scored one goal in the tournament. This will be their second World Cup appearance.
The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of international football, and Qatar's history in the competition provides important context for their 2026 campaign. With the tournament expanding to 48 teams for the first time, every nation faces both new opportunities and new challenges in the revamped group stage format featuring groups of four with the top two advancing to a 32-team knockout round. Qatar will aim to write a new chapter in their World Cup story at this historic edition of the tournament.
Group B Opponents
Qatar faces Switzerland and Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Group B. The top two teams from each group advance to the Round of 32. Group dynamics, head-to-head records, and tactical matchups will all play a role in determining which teams progress from this stage.