Doha, June 08 (QNA) - The Arab national teams competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be counting on a host of standout players, as these stars aim to make their mark and deliver eye-catching performances during the tournament, which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

With the start of the global showpiece drawing near, the eight Arab teams have intensified their preparations following the end of the domestic football season. The spotlight is now firmly on the world's biggest football event, with hopes that many of these players will shine on the international stage.

The upcoming edition of the FIFA World Cup will mark a historic milestone for Arab football, with a record eight Arab national teams qualifying for the finals. This unprecedented achievement comes in the first expanded version of the tournament, which will feature 48 teams for the first time in World Cup history.

Fans across the Arab world are placing their hopes on a number of star players for the upcoming competition. The objective is no longer simply to qualify for the finals, but also to make a strong impression against the world's top footballing talent.

In what will be its second World Cup appearance - and its first through the qualification process - the Qatari national team will be relying heavily on Akram Afif, the star player of Al Sadd SC. Afif has become one of the key pillars of Al Annabi thanks to his outstanding performances over the past few seasons.

After contributing to Qatar's back-to-back AFC Asian Cup triumphs in 2019 and 2023, Akram Afif will be aiming to leave his mark on the World Cup by scoring his first goal in the tournament, as Qatar competes in Group B alongside Canada, Switzerland, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A two-time winner of the AFC Player of the Year award, Afif enters the tournament backed by an impressive record of achievements with the Qatari national team, in addition to his outstanding statistics and numerous titles with Al Sadd SC.

During his international career with the senior national team, Afif played 126 matches, during which he scored 40 goals in various competitions. He now hopes to leave his mark on the upcoming World Cup by netting his first goal in the tournament, after Qatar managed just one goal in its maiden World Cup appearance in 2022, scored by Mohammed Muntari.

For the Moroccan national team, Achraf Hakimi is preparing for his third World Cup appearance, having previously featured at the 2018 tournament in Russia and the 2022 edition in Qatar. The full-back heads into the competition after two outstanding seasons with Paris Saint-Germain, during which he helped the club secure back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles.

Hakimi has an impressive record with the Moroccan national team, making 95 international appearances and scoring 11 goals across all competitions. He has also enjoyed great success at club level, helping his teams win the UEFA Champions League three times, including once with his former club, Real Madrid.

After playing a key role in Morocco's historic fourth-place finish at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Hakimi will be aiming to help the national team make another deep run in the 2026 tournament, backed by a talented core of players in the starting lineup.

Mohamed Salah heads into the FIFA World Cup with the Egyptian national team boasting an outstanding record of domestic and continental achievements, highlighted by his successful spell with his former club, Liverpool, where he won the UEFA Champions League.

Salah, who officially parted ways with Liverpool at the end of the recently concluded season, is preparing for his second World Cup appearance after making his tournament debut at the 2018 edition in Russia. He will be hoping to play a pivotal role in guiding Egypt to the knockout stages for the first time in the nation's history.

Mohamed Salah has played 113 matches for the Egyptian national team, scoring 65 goals in all competitions, making him one of the most successful Arab footballers at both club and international level.

Salah is Egypt's second-highest all-time scorer with 67 goals, behind current head coach Hossam Hassan, and ranks seventh for most international appearances. Egyptian fans will be counting on him to help the team reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. 

Saudi Arabia captain Salem Aldawsari stands out as one of the prominent Arab stars expected to shine brightly at the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The player has continued to deliver impressive performances for his club, Al Hilal, while also making consistent contributions to the Saudi national team across various competitions.

Aldawsari played a key role in guiding Saudi Arabia to its third consecutive World Cup appearance, following his previous participations in the 2018 and 2022 editions. Notably, he was named Asian Player of the Year for 2025.

Throughout his distinguished career, Aldawsari has made 104 international appearances for Saudi Arabia across all competitions, scoring 25 goals. The upcoming World Cup is expected to be another significant milestone for the player, who left a memorable mark at the 2022 tournament by scoring against Argentina and helping Saudi Arabia secure a historic 2–1 victory.

Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez, currently with Al Ahli Saudi FC and formerly of Manchester City, leads Algeria’s ambitions as one of the Arab stars expected to make a strong impact at the 2026 World Cup.

Mahrez played a major role in helping Algeria qualify for the World Cup finals for the fifth time in its history. He has now reached 113 international caps, scoring 38 goals in various competitions, and was instrumental in Algeria’s triumph at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Having won numerous titles at club level in both Europe and Asia, and having achieved continental glory with Algeria in Africa, Mahrez is now focused on cementing his global legacy at the 2026 World Cup.

Mousa Al-Taamari, the Rennes forward, will be the cornerstone of Jordan’s attack and the player upon whom hopes rest to make history at the World Cup. He was instrumental in leading Jordan to its first-ever World Cup qualification, scoring seven goals and providing two assists during the Asian qualifiers.

Al-Taamari, who has earned 70 international caps and scored 21 goals for Jordan, has been a standout performer for his national team in recent years. He played a pivotal role in Jordan’s remarkable run to the final of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, an extraordinary achievement for Jordanian football.

The Iraqi national team is placing great hopes on striker Aymen Hussein, who delivered outstanding performances throughout the qualification campaign and played a major role in helping Iraq reach the World Cup for the second time in its history, ending a four-decade absence since its first appearance at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.

Aymen Hussein is regarded as one of the finest strikers in Iraqi football history. He has scored 33 goals for the senior national team in 93 appearances to date, in addition to numerous other attacking contributions throughout his international career, which began in 2015.

Hussein scored nine goals during Iraq's Asian qualifying campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making him one of the key figures behind the country's return to the global tournament after many years of waiting. Throughout a long qualification journey filled with decisive moments, culminating in the intercontinental playoff stage, he scored Iraq's final and most important goal against Bolivia.

The 30-year-old forward possesses outstanding physical and technical attributes. His imposing height of 1.89 meters makes him particularly effective in aerial duels and headers, which often create significant problems for opposing defenses. As a result, he stands out prominently in battles inside the penalty area.

Aymen Hussein has also achieved several team honors during his career, most notably winning the Gulf Cup in Basra in 2023, where he finished as the tournament's joint top scorer alongside teammate Ibrahim Bayesh, with three goals each.

For the Tunisian national team, Ellyes Skhiri carries the hopes of Tunisian fans as they seek to achieve a historic milestone at the 2026 FIFA World Cup by advancing to the knockout stages for the first time in the country's history.

Skhiri, the star midfielder of Eintracht Frankfurt, was included at the top of Tunisia's squad list for the tournament, following a series of impressive performances with his club over recent seasons.

To date, Skhiri has made 117 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt across all competitions, scoring seven goals.

The Tunisian international, who is preparing for his third World Cup appearance, has earned 81 caps for his national team and scored four goals. He will be looking to improve those numbers at the upcoming tournament, where Tunisia will compete in Group F alongside the Netherlands, Sweden, and Japan during the group stage. (QNA)