Qatar celebrates historic World Cup qualifying win against UAE!

Qatar celebrates historic World Cup qualifying win against UAE!

On October 15, 2025, Qatar qualified for a World Cup for the first time. This happened as part of the final qualifying stage in Asia, where the Qatari national team defeated the United Arab Emirates 2-1. The goals for Qatar were scored by Boualem Khoukhi in the 49th minute and Pedro Correia in the 74th minute. Despite the red card for Tarek Salman in the 89th minute, Qatar was able to maintain its lead. Sultan Adil scored the next goal in stoppage time for the Emirates, who now have to fight for a last chance of a World Cup ticket in the playoff against Iraq. A draw would have been enough for the Emirates to qualify, but they were eliminated and therefore remain without direct access to the 2026 World Cup.

Saudi Arabia also qualified for the World Cup finals in North America. A 0-0 draw against Iraq was enough for the team to secure first place in Group B, helped by the higher number of goals scored. In this group, the Iraqis also had four points, but a worse goal difference.

Asian qualifications and new opportunities

The Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup represents a significant step forward for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). For the upcoming World Cup, the number of participants will be expanded to 48 teams. Asia now has eight guaranteed spots and the chance of a ninth-place finish via intercontinental playoffs. Previously only 4.5 places were taken, which underlines the importance of this new format.

A total of 28 teams have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, including the three hosts USA, Canada and Mexico, who automatically move into the tournament. In addition to Qatar, the teams from Asia that have already qualified include Saudi Arabia, Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea and Uzbekistan. On the African continent, teams such as Algeria, Egypt and Ghana qualified, while from Europe England became the first team to secure their place.

Outlook for the 2026 World Cup

The upcoming 2026 World Cup promises not only a spectacular football experience, but also an opportunity for many countries to present themselves on the international stage. The rise of teams like Qatar, which has drastically improved its footballing skills, is a testament to positive developments in the region. They now have better infrastructure, which was already evident at the 2022 World Cup.

However, the challenge for the AFC remains significant. Geographical distances, climatic differences and political tensions often play a role. Nevertheless, it turns out that teams like the United Arab Emirates and Iraq are always close to qualifying. The World Cup qualification system has proven to be a starting point for many emerging nations as they further develop their ambitions in international football.