UAE set to take on Qatar in World Cup qualifier

The UAE begin their Asian qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup against Qatar at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Thursday.

The UAE kick off their campaign having been drawn in Group A along with Qatar, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and North Korea.

Paulo Bento’s side will be aiming for a top-two finish to ensure direct qualification in the third round of Asian qualifiers.

The UAE has not beaten Qatar since their 4-1 win in the 2015 Asian Cup and will be hoping to get their campaign off to a winning start before their second match of the third round at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain, against Iran on September 10.

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Key players Akram Afif and Almoez Ali to action, after head coach Marquez Lopez chose to rest several stars during the final two second-round fixtures against Afghanistan and India.

Qatar will not be short of confidence, with key players Akram Afif and Almoez Ali, who topped the scoring charts with seven goals alongside South Korea's Son Heung-min in the second round and AFC Asian Cup Golden Boot winner Afif both set to feature.