Qatar national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Qatar

Nickname(s)	العنابي (The Maroons)
Association	Qatar Football Association (QFA)
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	WAFF (West Asia)
Head coach	Julen Lopetegui
Captain	Akram Afif
Most caps	Hassan Al-Haydos (183)
Top scorer	Almoez Ali (60)
Home stadium	Various
FIFA code	QAT
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	55 38 (7 February 2019)
Highest	34 (April and July 2024)
Lowest	113 (November 2010)
Elo ranking
Current	24 68 (3 March 2019)
Highest	24 (February 2019)
Lowest	135 (April 1975)
First international
Bahrain 2–1 Qatar  (Isa Town, Bahrain; 27 March 1970)
Biggest win
Qatar 15–0 Bhutan  (Doha, Qatar; 3 September 2015)
Biggest defeat
Kuwait 9–0 Qatar  (Kuwait; 8 January 1973)
World Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2022)
Best result	Group stage (2022)
Asian Cup
Appearances	12 (first in 1980)
Best result	Champions (2019, 2023)
Arab Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 1985)
Best result	Runners-up (1998)
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 2021)
Best result	Semi-finals (2021)
Medal record Men's football AFC Asian Cup Gold 2019 UAE Team Gold 2023 Qatar Team FIFA Arab Cup Silver 1998 Qatar Team Bronze 2021 Qatar Team Asian Games Gold 2006 Qatar Team Arabian Gulf Cup Gold 1992 Qatar Team Gold 2004 Qatar Team Gold 2014 Saudi Arabia Team Silver 1984 Oman Team Silver 1990 Kuwait Team Silver 1996 Oman Team Silver 2002 Saudi Arabia Team Bronze 1976 Qatar Team Bronze 2003/4 Kuwait Team

The Qatar national football team, also known as "The Maroons", plays for Qatar in international football matches. The team is managed by the Qatar Football Association (QFA). This association is part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and follows the rules of FIFA, the world's football governing body. They play their home games at Khalifa International Stadium and Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.

The team has won the Arabian Gulf Cup three times: in 1992, 2004, and 2014. They have also played in the AFC Asian Cup twelve times. They won the Asian Cup twice, in 2019 and 2023. In 2019, they beat strong teams like Japan, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea, letting in only one goal during the whole tournament.

Qatar hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which meant they automatically qualified for the event. This was their first time playing in a World Cup. It was also the first time an Arab nation hosted the competition. On November 25, 2022, Qatar was the first team to be out of the World Cup. They became the host nation with the worst performance in World Cup history, losing every game.

Qatar has football rivalries with Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.

Team History and Achievements

Early Days of Qatari Football

Football came to Qatar around 1940, when oil was first found in Dukhan. By 1948, oil workers from other countries played the first official football match in Qatar. The Qatar Football Association was created in 1960. It joined FIFA in 1963. At the same time, plans were made for a regional football competition in the GCC. Qatari officials helped make this happen. The first Arabian Gulf Cup started in March 1970.

First Matches and Tournaments (1970-1980)

Qatar's first official match was on March 27, 1970, against Bahrain. They lost 1–2, with Mubarak Faraj scoring Qatar's only goal. In their first Gulf Cup, Qatar finished last. Their best result was a 1–1 draw with Saudi Arabia.

In the next Gulf Cup in 1972, Qatar again finished last. But in 1974, they got their first international win, beating Oman 4–0. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Saudi Arabia. They then won third place by beating the United Arab Emirates in a penalty shootout.

Qatar tried to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in 1975. They did not make it to the 1976 Asian Cup. However, they finished third in the 1976 Gulf Cup as the host nation.

The national team played its first FIFA World Cup qualifying match in 1977 for the 1978 World Cup. They beat Bahrain 2–0 in Doha.

Growing Stronger (1980-2000)

Qatar made its Asian Cup debut in 1980. They had qualified easily by winning their group. But in the main tournament, they did not do well, leaving after the group stages.

In the 1984 Gulf Cup, Qatar almost won, losing closely to Iraq in the final. They were runners-up, which was their best result until 1992.

They did not qualify for the 1982 or 1986 World Cups. However, they played in the 1984 and 1988 Asian Cups. In 1988, they famously beat Japan 3–0.

The 1990s were a strong period for Qatar. They reached their highest-ever FIFA ranking (53) in August 1993. They had a great qualifying campaign for the 1990 World Cup, finishing first in their group. But they missed out on a World Cup spot in the final round.

In the 1990 Gulf Cup, Qatar finished as runners-up. Two years later, they won the competition for the first time on their home ground. Their star player, Mubarak Mustafa, won top scorer and best player awards. They were also runners-up in the 1996 Gulf Cup.

Qatar reached the final qualifying round for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. They needed a win against Saudi Arabia to qualify, but lost 1–0. As hosts of the 1998 Arab Cup, they finished second to Saudi Arabia.

New Millennium Challenges (2000-2010)

Qatar reached the quarter-finals of the 2000 Asian Cup. They lost to China. They also reached the final qualifying round for the 2002 World Cup but were beaten by China.

After the 2002 World Cup, French coach Philippe Troussier took over. But he was not successful in the 2004 Asian Cup or the 2006 World Cup qualifiers.

Troussier was replaced by Bosnian coach Džemaludin Mušović. Under him, Qatar won the Gulf Cup in 2004. Their under-23 team also won gold at the 2006 Asian Games. Mušović left after Qatar did not do well in the 2007 Asian Cup.

Jorge Fossati coached the team for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. He left due to health reasons. Bruno Metsu took over, but Qatar did not qualify for the World Cup.

Recent Successes and World Cup Hosting (2010-Present)

Qatar national team in 2011 during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying rounds.

In December 2010, Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

In 2011, as hosts of the 2011 Asian Cup, they reached the quarter-finals. They lost 2–3 to Japan in a close match.

Qatar also won the 2013 WAFF Championship by beating Jordan 2–0 in the final. The coach of their B team, Djamel Belmadi, became the head coach of the senior team. Ten months later, Belmadi led Qatar to win the 2014 Gulf Cup. They beat Oman 3–1 in the semi-final and then won the final against Saudi Arabia 2–1.

Despite these wins, Qatar did not perform well in the 2015 Asian Cup. They lost all their group stage matches and were eliminated.

Qatar's journey in qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia was surprising. They had a great start in the second round of qualifiers, winning seven games and losing only one. However, they struggled in the third round and finished last in their group. This meant they would play their first World Cup match at home in 2022.

Qatar also had a tough time in the 2017 Gulf Cup. They won their first game against Yemen 4–0. But then they lost to Iraq and drew with Bahrain, which led to them being eliminated in the group stage.

Qatar's players celebrating the country's first-ever Asian Cup title in 2019.

However, Qatar had an amazing run at the 2019 Asian Cup. They beat Lebanon 2–0, then crushed North Korea 6–0. They also won 2–0 against three-time champions Saudi Arabia, finishing first in their group. They beat Iraq 1–0 in the Round of 16. A late win against South Korea in the quarter-finals sent them to the semi-finals for the first time. There, they defeated the hosts, United Arab Emirates, 4–0. This set up a final against four-time winners Japan. Qatar won the final 3–1 against Japan. This was their first major tournament title ever. It was one of the most surprising Asian Cup wins, especially since they only let in one goal in all their games.

Qatar was invited to the 2019 Copa América. They were in Group B with Colombia, Argentina, and Paraguay. Their first game was a 2–2 draw against Paraguay, after being down 2–0. This was the first time Qatar let in more than one goal in a major competition since winning the Asian Cup. They then lost 0–1 to Colombia, ending their eight-game unbeaten streak in major competitions. A 0–2 loss to Argentina meant Qatar finished last in their group and was eliminated.

Even though Qatar automatically qualified for the 2022 World Cup as hosts, they still played in the AFC qualifiers. This was because the qualifiers also counted for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. Qatar was also invited to the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time. They played in Group D with Honduras, Panama, and Grenada. In December 2020, UEFA invited Qatar to play friendly matches against teams in Group A of the 2022 World Cup qualifying group. These teams included Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, and Serbia. These friendly games did not count in the qualifying group standings. Qatar played their "home" matches in Europe to make travel easier for their opponents.

Qatar opening match starting line-up against Ecuador at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

In the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Qatar earned 7 points in Group D. They drew 3–3 with Panama in their first game. Then they won 4–0 against Grenada and 2–0 against Honduras. This secured their spot in the quarter-finals, where they beat El Salvador 3–2 to reach the semi-finals. In the semi-final against the United States, Qatar lost 1–0. In the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, Qatar won all their group matches and beat UAE 5–0. They lost 2–1 in the semi-final against Algeria, finishing in 3rd place.

Despite Qatar's success in other tournaments, the 2022 FIFA World Cup at home was very difficult. As hosts, Qatar was in Group A. They lost their opening match 0–2 to Ecuador. This made Qatar the first host country to lose their opening game. In their second game, Senegal beat Qatar 3–1. This meant Qatar was out of the World Cup early. They became the second host country, after South Africa in 2010, to be eliminated so soon. Mohammed Muntari scored Qatar's first World Cup goal in this game. With their elimination confirmed, Qatar then lost 0–2 to the Netherlands. This set an unwanted record: they were the first hosts to score the fewest goals (1), lose all three group games, and be the lowest-ranked team (32nd) in the tournament.

Fourteen months later, they made a comeback at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, also held in Qatar. The Maroons beat Lebanon 3–0 to start. They won their group without letting in any goals. They then beat Palestine (2–1) and Uzbekistan (1–1 after extra time, winning 3–2 on penalties) to reach the semi-finals. After a dramatic 3–2 win against Iran, they faced Jordan in the final. Akram Afif scored three penalty goals, helping Qatar beat Jordan 3–1. This win secured their second straight AFC Asian Cup title, making them the first team since Japan to successfully defend their title.

Team Image

Kits and Crest

Qatar v Ecuador at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Qatar wears all-maroon for their home games and all-white for their away games. Their first kit maker was Umbro from 1980 to 1984. Currently, all Qatar kits are made by Adidas.

Kit suppliers	Period
Umbro	1980–1984
Adidas	1984–1992
Venecia	1993–1995
Grand Sport	1996–2002
Adidas	2002–2008
Burrda	2009–2011
Nike	2012–2024
Adidas	2024–present

Rivalries

Qatar has football rivalries with Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. These rivalries are often due to historical tensions between the countries.

Bahrain

Qatar has a big rivalry with Bahrain. They have played 39 matches. Bahrain has won 11 times, Qatar 8 times, and they have drawn 19 times. From 2004 to 2021, Qatar did not win against Bahrain. They finally won in the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup.

United Arab Emirates

The rivalry with United Arab Emirates is very competitive, especially in the Arabian Gulf Cup. Tensions grew between 2017 and 2021. In the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, Qatar beat UAE 4–0. This was Qatar's first win against UAE since 2001.

Saudi Arabia

Qatar also has a major rivalry with Saudi Arabia. They have played 41 matches. Qatar has won 8 times, lost 17 times, and drawn 16 times.

Coaching Staff

The current head coach of the Qatar national football team is Julen Lopetegui. He is supported by assistant coaches and other staff members.

Technical staff
Head coach	Julen Lopetegui
Assistant coach	Óscar Caro Pablo Sanz
Goalkeeping coach	Saud Al Hajiri
Official	Saad Al-Alawi
Fitness coach	Borja De Alba
Technical coach	Edu Rubio
Chief analyst	Juan Peinado
Physiotherapist	Maqbool Al-Khelaifi Richie Partridge
Doctor	Frank van Hellemondt Alejandro Álvarez
Masseur	Jorge Luiz da Silva Pereira Jefferson Gomes
Administrative staff
Administrator	Mohamed Salem Al Etawi
Media coordinator	Ali Hassan Al-Salat

Coaching History

Many coaches have led the Qatar national team over the years. Some have been caretakers, meaning they took charge temporarily.

Players

Current Squad

Here are the players who were called up to prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches in June 2025.

Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of June 5, 2025, after the match against Iran.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Shehab Ellethy	(2000-04-18) 18 April 2000 (age 25)	1	0	Al-Shahaniya
21	1GK	Salah Zakaria	(1999-04-24) 24 April 1999 (age 26)	6	0	Al-Duhail
22	1GK	Meshaal Barsham	(1998-02-14) 14 February 1998 (age 27)	49	0	Al-Sadd
	1GK	Saad Al-Sheeb	(1990-02-19) 19 February 1990 (age 35)	79	0	Al-Sadd
2	2DF	Pedro Miguel	(1990-08-06) 6 August 1990 (age 34)	94	2	Al-Sadd
3	2DF	Abdullah Yousef	(2002-04-10) 10 April 2002 (age 23)	4	0	Al-Gharafa
4	2DF	Ahmed Suhail	(1999-02-08) 8 February 1999 (age 26)	11	1	Al-Sadd
5	2DF	Tarek Salman	(1997-12-05) 5 December 1997 (age 27)	84	0	Al-Sadd
13	2DF	Amro Surag	(1998-04-08) 8 April 1998 (age 27)	4	2	Al-Gharafa
14	2DF	Homam El-Amin	(1999-08-25) 25 August 1999 (age 25)	60	3	Al-Duhail
15	2DF	Bassam Al-Rawi	(1997-12-16) 16 December 1997 (age 27)	68	2	Al-Duhail
16	2DF	Boualem Khoukhi	(1990-07-09) 9 July 1990 (age 35)	111	19	Al-Sadd
	2DF	Hazem Shehata	(1998-02-02) 2 February 1998 (age 27)	11	1	Al-Rayyan
6	3MF	Abdulaziz Hatem	(1990-10-28) 28 October 1990 (age 34)	112	11	Al-Rayyan
8	3MF	Mostafa Meshaal	(2001-03-28) 28 March 2001 (age 24)	25	2	Al-Sadd
12	3MF	Karim Boudiaf	(1990-09-16) 16 September 1990 (age 34)	112	5	Al-Duhail
18	3MF	Abdelrahman Moustafa	(1997-04-05) 5 April 1997 (age 28)	12	0	Al-Ahli
20	3MF	Ahmed Fathy	(1993-01-25) 25 January 1993 (age 32)	41	0	Al-Arabi
23	3MF	Assim Madibo	(1996-10-22) 22 October 1996 (age 28)	44	0	Al-Gharafa
	3MF	Jassem Gaber	(2002-02-20) 20 February 2002 (age 23)	30	1	Al-Arabi
	3MF	Mohamed Al-Mannai	(2003-10-30) 30 October 2003 (age 21)	0	0	Al-Shamal
7	4FW	Ahmed Al Ganehi	(2000-09-22) 22 September 2000 (age 24)	10	1	Al-Gharafa
9	4FW	Mohammed Muntari	(1993-12-20) 20 December 1993 (age 31)	61	15	Al-Gharafa
10	4FW	Akram Afif (captain)	(1996-11-18) 18 November 1996 (age 28)	115	38	Al-Sadd
11	4FW	Edmilson Junior	(1994-08-19) 19 August 1994 (age 30)	6	0	Al-Duhail
17	4FW	Ismaeel Mohammad	(1990-04-05) 5 April 1990 (age 35)	83	4	Al-Duhail
19	4FW	Almoez Ali	(1996-08-19) 19 August 1996 (age 28)	112	55	Al-Duhail
	4FW	Ahmed Al-Rawi	(2004-05-30) 30 May 2004 (age 21)	9	3	Al-Rayyan

Players from Other Countries

Sometimes, footballers play for a national team even if they were not born in that country. This is called naturalization. In the early 1970s, Qatar started naturalizing players. For example, Ezzuldin Osman from Sudan, Hassan Mukhtar from Egypt, and Ryad Murad from Lebanon joined the team.

In 2004, FIFA changed its rules to make sure players have strong ties to the country they play for. This happened after three Brazilian players wanted to play for Qatar.

Qatar said naturalizing players was a way to help people and create more competition for local players. FIFA's former president, Sepp Blatter, warned Qatar about relying too much on naturalized players. He compared it to Qatar's handball team, which had many players from other countries.

Over time, Qatar has used fewer naturalized players. In a 2018 friendly match against Switzerland, only two players were born outside Qatar. However, at the 2019 Asian Cup, some countries questioned if two Qatari players were eligible. These complaints were dismissed.

For the 2022 FIFA World Cup, 10 out of 26 players in Qatar's squad were born outside of Qatar.

Player Records

These are some of the top players for Qatar, based on how many games they played and how many goals they scored.

Players in bold are still playing for Qatar.

Most Appearances

Hassan Al-Haydos is Qatar's most capped player with 183 appearances.

Top Goalscorers

Almoez Ali is Qatar's top scorer with 60 goals.

Team Honours

Qatar has won several important football titles.

Continental Titles

• AFC Asian Cup
  • Champions (2): 2019, 2023

Regional Titles

• Arab Cup / FIFA Arab Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 1998
  • Third place (1): 2021
• Arabian Gulf Cup
  • Champions (3): 1992, 2004, 2014
  • Runners-up (4): 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002
  • Third place (2): 1976, 2003-04
• WAFF Championship
  • Champions (1): 2013

Friendly Titles

• International Friendship Championship (1): 2018

Awards

• AFC Asian Cup Fair Play Award (1): 2023
• Arabian Gulf Cup Fair Play Award (1): 2019

Images for kids

• 

  Qatar's players celebrating their first-ever Asian Cup title in 2019.

• 

  Qatar national team in 2011 during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying rounds.

• 

  Qatar opening match starting line-up against Ecuador at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

• 

  Qatar v Ecuador at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

• 

  Dave Mackay became the manager of the national football team of Qatar in 1994.

• 

  Hassan Al-Haydos is Qatar's most capped player with 183 appearances.

• 

  Almoez Ali is Qatar's top scorer with 60 goals.

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Catar para niños