Doha: In preparation for the crucial fourth round (play-offs) of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Julen Lopetegui, head coach of  the national team, has announced the 26-player squad for two friendlies month.

The squad includes three goalkeepers: Meshal Barsham, Salah Zakaria, and Mahmoud Abunada. They are joined by field players Ahmed Al-Ganehi, Ahmed Al-Rawi, Ahmed Suhail, Ahmed Fathi, Akram Afif, Ahmed Alaa, Ismail Mohamed, Edmilson Junior, and Bassam Al-Rawi. Completing the list are Mahdi Ali, Boualem Khoukhi, Pedro Miguel, Jassem Gaber, Sultan Al-Breik, Tarek Salman, Assim Madibo, Abdulaziz Hatim, Guilherme Torres, Karim Boudiaf, Mohamed Khalid, Mohamed Manai, Mohamed Muntari, and Hoommam Amin.

The Maroons will play two friendly matches during the international window. They will first face Bahrain on Tuesday, September 3rd at Al Thumama Stadium, followed by a match against Russia on Saturday, September 7th at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.

These two friendlies represent a vital opportunity for Coach Lopetegui and his staff to assess player readiness and finalize the optimal lineup before the decisive qualifiers. Furthermore, our national team will host Group A of the  play-offs at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, facing Oman on October 8th and the United Arab Emirates on October 14th.