Doha, October 16 (QNA) - Qatar's football team continues its sporting accolades after qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be held in the US, Canada, and Mexico, marking it the second time in Qatar's history of participating in the tournament after defeating the UAE 2-1 on Tuesday in the final round of Group A of the Asian play-offs, which were held in Doha.
Boualem Khoukhi scored the first goal in the 49th minute, followed by Pedro Miguel in the 74th. Sultan Adill scored a consolation goal for the UAE in the 98th minute of the match, ending the match 2-1 in Qatar's favor, which moved them to the top of Group A with four points.
This is Qatar's second qualification after hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which was held for the first time in the region and was ranked as the best edition in its history.
Qatar secured a place in the draw, which will be held in Washington, DC, on Dec. 5. It will not have to wait for the playoffs to be among the 48 teams that will make up the final contingent for the next World Cup.
Overwhelming joy swept the entire country immediately after the match, and celebrations occurred across the country, especially given that qualification this time came through the Asian qualifiers and a victory over a strong team like the UAE.
The State of Qatar attaches great importance to sports, as evidenced by the Third National Development Strategy (2023-2024), which aims to build a sporting society with a high quality of life in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.
In this context, Qatar has designated a day for sports, which falls on the second Tuesday of February each year, and is an official holiday in the country. National Sports Day, first launched in 2012, aims to encourage participation in sporting activities, with hundreds of sporting events being held across the country.
Qatar also has a proven track record of hosting international sporting events, and its outstanding sporting talent and world-class training facilities have made it a major global sports hub.
Qatar's exceptional performance is not limited to its ability to host major sporting events. The country also continues its fruitful journey in developing its sporting talents, with Qatari athletes competing at the highest levels in the international sporting arena. Qatar won the AFC Asian Cup 2019 after a strong and historic performance throughout the tournament, then participated in the FIFA World Cup 2022, and then successfully won the AFC Asian Cup 2024 in Doha. They continued their impressive form by securing a direct line to the World Cup finals.
Qatari won the Gulf Cup three times, in 1992, 2004, and 2014, and the gold medal at the Asian Games in Doha in 2006. (QNA)