Doha: The Qatari national football team will seek to strengthen its hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup when it faces the United Arab Emirates (UAE) tomorrow at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in the third and final Group A match of the fourth round of the Asian qualifiers.
According to Qatar News Agency, Qatar competes in Group A alongside Oman and the UAE, while Group B includes Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Indonesia. All playoff matches are taking place in Jeddah.
The six countries qualified for the Asian playoffs after finishing 3rd and 4th in the third round of the qualifiers, while South Korea, Jordan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Japan, and Australia secured direct qualification to the World Cup finals after finishing first and second in their respective groups.
The Asian playoffs are being contested in a single round, with each team playing two matches. The top winner will qualify directly for the World Cup, while the two runners-up will meet in a two-legged tie on November 13 and 18. The winner of that playoff will advance to the intercontinental playoffs.
Qatar enters tomorrow's match against the UAE with strong motivation, following a goalless draw with Oman in its opening match, which placed Al Annabi second in Group A with one point.
The UAE currently leads the group with three points after defeating Oman 2-1, while Oman sits third with no points.
Qatar must win the final group match to keep its qualification hopes alive, while the UAE needs only a win or a draw to secure its spot in the next World Cup.
Al Annabi aims to reach the World Cup for the second time in its history, following its debut at the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar. The UAE also seeks its second appearance after participating in the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
Statistically, the UAE has won three matches during the qualifiers, while Qatar has won one of its five, with one draw. Qatar has scored five goals in the qualifiers, compared with 11 for the UAE.
Across their last 19 meetings in all competitions, Qatar has won seven matches and lost six, while the UAE has won six and lost seven, with six matches ended in draws.