Seattle, June 23 (QNA) - Qatar will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in a crucial match at 10 p.m. Doha time on Wednesday at the Seattle International Stadium in the US as part of the third and final round of Group B matches in the FIFA 2026 World Cup.
This crucial match is the last chance for Qatar to qualify for the round of 32.
Despite the heavy 6-0 defeat to Canada, Qatar's chances of qualifying for the round of 32 remain alive, especially with the new system of the tournament, which allows first and second place from each group to qualify, along with the best eight third-placed teams from the 12 groups.
Bosnia will also seek to advance to the next stage of the FIFA World Cup in its second participation in the tournament. Their first participation was in 2014 in Brazil and they exited in the group stages after gaining one win and suffering two losses.
In this year's edition, Bosnia secured a 1-1 draw against Canada in their opening match, then suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Switzerland. Bosnia are tied with Qatar with one point each, however, Bosnia currently ranks third on goal difference.
If Qatar qualifies as the runners-up of Group B, it will face the runner-up from Group A in June 28 in Los Angeles.
If Qatar doesn't qualify as the runners-up of the group, defeating Bosnia will secure the country's place in the round of 32 by being among the eight best third-placed teams in the 12 groups of the tournament, as four points is an ideal result to guarantee a place in the next stage.
The same is applied to Bosnia. A victory is needed to advance to the next stage. However, for this to work, Canada must lose to Switzerland, in addition to narrowing the goal difference, for them to be runners-up in Group B. A win would most likely be enough to secure a place among the best third-placed teams, while a draw between the two would practically mean their exit from the tournament in the first round. 

The crucial match between Qatar and Bosnia on Wednesday in the final round of Group B matches in the FIFA 2026 World Cup is expected to be a tactical battle between two contrasting styles.
Qatar's head coach Julen Lopetegui will need to mentally prepare his players for a different and challenging encounter after the heavy defeat they suffered in the second round.
During the match against Canada, Qatar found itself trailing after just 15 minutes. The players' task became even more difficult after Homamآ Al Amin was sent off in the 34th minute, followed by another dismissal in the second half, this time for Assim Madibo.
The team's excessive retreat into defensive positions without any offensive efforts to alleviate the Canadian pressure was one of the reasons behind their unsatisfactory performance.
The need for nothing less than a victory necessitates providing more freedom to attackers, such as Akram Afif and Edmilson Junior, and starting with a true striker. Furthermore, the team should rely on playmakers in midfield, such as Karim Boudiaf, to put pressure on Bosnia.
Lopetegui, who faced significant criticism for his overly defensive approach, confirmed in the post-match press conference that the early goal conceded by Al Annabi, along with the first red card, constituted a major turning point in the match. This gave the opponent a numerical and psychological advantage, especially since the numerical disadvantage disrupted the tactical plan he had devised before the match.
Lopetegui stressed the need to put the match behind them and focus on restoring all the players' physical and mental readiness, rebuilding morale based on the fact that qualification is still possible. This will ensure the team is adequately prepared for the final match, which will be no less difficult than the previous two.
Qatar aims to erase the memory of their previous performance and continue making history by securing their first-ever World Cup victory and advancing to the round of 32. Their task will require exceptional effort against an opponent equally determined to win and progress beyond the group stage for the first time in their history. (QNA)