Qatar national football team

The Qatar national football team represents Qatar in men’s international association football and is governed by the Qatar Football Association.

The Qatar national football team represents Qatar in men’s international association football and is governed by the Qatar Football Association. Nicknamed the Maroons, the team competes in AFC and WAFF competitions and has qualified for the FIFA World Cup, including as host in 2022 and via qualification for 2026.

History

Qatar’s national team first played an official match on 27 March 1970, losing 2–1 to Bahrain. The team later joined FIFA in 1972 and the Asian Football Confederation in 1974. Its international profile rose sharply after hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup and winning consecutive AFC Asian Cups in 2019 and 2023.

Competitive record

The team’s major honours include two AFC Asian Cup titles, won on home soil in 2019 and again in 2023. Qatar also qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on merit, after appearing in 2022 as the host nation. The team has also competed in regional tournaments such as the WAFF Championship and the Gulf Cup.

Organisation and identity

The team is run by the Qatar Football Association and is affiliated with FIFA and the AFC. It is commonly known by the nickname Al-Annabi or the Maroons, reflecting the national colour. The head coach is Julen Lopetegui, and the captain is Hassan Al-Haydos, who also holds the record for most caps (188). Almoez Ali is the top scorer with 60 goals.

Home venues

Qatar has used several home stadiums for international matches, with Jassim bin Hamad Stadium and Khalifa International Stadium among the venues associated with the national team.