HOUSTON, Texas: Rashid bin Abdullah Al Dehami, Consul General of the State of Qatar in Houston, Texas, has lauded the team's Gold Cup debut as historic. Qatar will become the first Arab country to feature in the hugely popular football tournament when it plays against Panama on July 13. The Consul General said: "The Consulate General of the State of Qatar is proud to welcome our national football team in Houston to participate in the CONCACAF Gold Cup matches. Our team's participation in this tournament has proven once again that Qatar is committed to developing the squad by playing at top events, and demonstrates our commitment to our multidimensional connect to the world". He concluded his statement by saying: "Once again, I extend a warm welcome to our national team in Houston. I extend my best wishes for success to our national team and the State of Qatar, and we look forward to the support of our Houstonian fans." Qatar, the Asian champions, take on Honduras on July 17 and Grenada on July 20. Qatar now becomes the second Asian team after Korea to feature in the tournament.