DOHA: Qatar’s national football coach, Marquez Lopez, has named a 27-player squad for the pivotal 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Uzbekistan and the UAE, set for November 14 and 19 in Doha and Abu Dhabi, respectively.   These two matches mark the fifth and sixth rounds of Group One in the final phase of Asian World Cup qualifiers for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.   The Qatari squad will undergo rigorous training at Aspire Academy to prepare for their match against Uzbekistan, which will take place at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on November 14 at 7:15 pm.   Currently, Qatar sits in fourth place in Group One with four points, edging the UAE on goal difference. Iran leads the group with 10 points, tied with Uzbekistan on points but ahead on goal difference. Kyrgyzstan holds fifth place with three points, while North Korea is in last with two points. The top two teams in each of the three groups will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, securing six out of eight direct AFC spots. Teams finishing third and fourth will advance to the Asian play-offs, which will follow a single-round league format, with each group’s winner securing a spot in the World Cup.   Qatar Squad:

• Goalkeepers: Marawan Sherif (Al-Ahli), Saad Al-Sheeb (Al-Sadd), Meshaal Barsham (Al-Sadd), Salah Zakaria (Al-Duhail)
• Midfielders and Forwards: Abdulaziz Hatem (Al-Rayyan), Bassam Al Rawi, Al Moez Ali, Ismail Mohammed, Humam Al Amin, Edmilson Junior, Sultan Al Breik (Al-Duhail), Ibrahim Al Hassan (Calgora, Spain), Abdul Rahman Fahmy (Al-Ahli), Lucas Mendes, Al Mahdi Ali, Abdul Karim Hassan (Al-Wakrah), Akram Afif, Abdullah Al-Yazidi, Youssef Abdul Razzaq, Tariq Salman, Boualem Khoukhi, Mohammed Waad (Al-Sadd), Ahmed Fathi, Jassim Jaber (Al-Arabi), Ahmed Al-Janahi, Mohammed Muntari (Al-Gharafa)

Coach: Marquez Lopez (Spain)