Qatar national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Qatar

Nickname(s)	العنابي (The Maroons)
Association	Qatar Football Association
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	WAFF (West Asia)
Head coach	Tintín Márquez
Captain	Abdulaziz Hatem
Most caps	Hassan Al-Haydos (183)
Top scorer	Almoez Ali (59)
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)
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 CONCACAF Gold Cup Bronze 2021 United States 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 (Arabic: منتخب قَطَر لِكُرَّةُ الْقَدَم), also known as "The Maroons", represents the country of Qatar in international football games. The team is managed by the Qatar Football Association. This association is part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and follows the rules of FIFA, which is the world's main football governing body. They play their home matches at Khalifa International Stadium and Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. The Jassim bin Hamad Stadium is usually considered their main home ground.

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

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

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

History of Qatar Football

Early Days (Before 1970)

Football came to Qatar around the same time oil was discovered in Dukhan in 1940. By 1948, foreign oil workers played the first official football match in Qatar. The Qatar Football Association was created in 1960. It joined FIFA in 1963. During this time, Qatar also helped plan a regional football competition for the GCC countries. This plan led to the first Arabian Gulf Cup in March 1970.

First Games and Growth (1970–1980)

Qatar's first official match was on March 27, 1970. They played against Bahrain and lost 1–2. Mubarak Faraj scored Qatar's only goal. In their first Gulf Cup, Qatar finished last. But they did get a 1–1 draw against Saudi Arabia.

In the next Gulf Cup in 1972, Qatar again finished last. They lost all three of their games. The 1974 tournament was better. Qatar won their first international game, beating Oman 4–0. They lost to Saudi Arabia in the semi-finals. But they won third place by beating the United Arab Emirates in a penalty shootout.

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

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

Building the Team (1980–1990)

Qatar made their Asian Cup debut in 1980. They had qualified easily. But they did not do well in the main tournament. They left early from the group stages.

Qatar almost won the 1984 Gulf Cup. They lost closely to Iraq in the final. This was their best result until 1992.

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

Strong Performances (1990–2000)

The 1990s were a strong period for Qatar football. They reached their highest-ever FIFA ranking (53rd) in August 1993. They had a great start to the 1990 World Cup qualifiers. They finished top of their group. But they just missed out on a World Cup spot.

In 1990, they were runners-up in the Gulf Cup again. Two years later, they won the competition for the first time. This was on their home ground. Their star player, Mubarak Mustafa, was the top scorer. He was also named the best player of the tournament. They were also runners-up in the 1996 Gulf Cup.

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

Ups and Downs (2000–2010)

They reached the quarter-finals of the 2000 Asian Cup. But they lost to China.

In 2001, they reached the final World Cup qualifying round again. But they were beaten by China, who went to their first World Cup. 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. Under Bosnian coach Džemaludin Mušović, Qatar won the Gulf Cup in 2004. They also won gold at the Asian Games in 2006. 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 led them well at first. But he had to leave due to surgery. Qatar did not qualify for the World Cup.

Recent Success 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 a close game 2–3 to Japan.

As hosts, they won the 2013 WAFF Championship. They beat 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. Then they won the final against Saudi Arabia 2–1, even though Saudi Arabia was playing at home.

Despite winning the Gulf Cup, Qatar did not play well in the 2015 Asian Cup. They lost all their group games. This included a 1–4 loss to the United Arab Emirates.

Qatar's performance in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers was a surprise. They had a great start in the second round. They won seven games and lost only one. However, they finished last in the third round. This meant they would play their first World Cup match at home in 2022. They were the first team to do this since Italy in 1934.

Qatar also struggled in the 2017 Gulf Cup. They won their first game 4–0 against Yemen. But then they lost to Iraq and drew with Bahrain. They were knocked out in the group stage.

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

However, Qatar had an amazing run at the 2019 Asian Cup. They beat Lebanon 2–0. Then they crushed North Korea 6–0. They also beat Saudi Arabia 2–0 to win their group. They won 1–0 against Iraq in the Round of 16. They had a late win against South Korea in the quarter-finals. This sent them to the semi-finals for the first time. There, they beat 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 unexpected wins in the Asian Cup's history. They only conceded one goal in all their games.

Qatar was invited to play in the 2019 Copa América. They were in a tough group with Colombia, Argentina, and Paraguay. Their first game was a 2–2 draw against Paraguay. 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. This ended their eight-game unbeaten streak in major competitions. A 0–2 loss to Argentina meant Qatar finished last in their group and was eliminated.

The 2022 World Cup and Beyond

Even though Qatar automatically qualified for the 2022 World Cup as hosts, they still played in the AFC qualifiers. Qatar was also invited to the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time. In December 2020, UEFA invited Qatar to play friendly matches against teams in the 2022 World Cup qualifying group. These games did not count for qualification.

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 their group. They drew 3–3 with Panama. Then they beat Grenada 4–0 and Honduras 2–0. This put them in the quarter-finals against El Salvador, which they won 3–2. They reached the semi-finals against the United States. However, they lost 0–1. In the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, Qatar won all their group matches. They beat UAE 5–0. They lost 2–1 in the semi-final against Algeria. They finished in 3rd place.

Despite their recent successes, the 2022 FIFA World Cup at home was very difficult for Qatar. As hosts, they were in Group A. They lost their opening match 0–2 to Ecuador. This made Qatar the first host country to lose their opening game. Things did not get better. They lost 1–3 to Senegal. This meant they were knocked out of the World Cup early. They became the first host team to be eliminated after just two group games. Mohammed Muntari scored Qatar's first-ever World Cup goal in this game. With their elimination confirmed, Qatar then lost 0–2 to the Netherlands. They set an unwanted record as the first hosts to score the fewest goals (1). They were also the first to lose all three group games.

14 months later, they bounced back at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, which they also hosted. They beat Lebanon 3–0 to start. They won their group without letting in any goals. They beat Palestine 2–1. Then they beat Uzbekistan in a penalty shootout after a 1–1 draw. They defeated Iran 3–2 in a dramatic semi-final. In the final, Akram Afif scored three penalty goals. This helped Qatar beat Jordan 3–1. They won their second Asian Cup in a row. They were the first team since Japan to successfully defend their title.

Team Look

Kits and Badge

Qatar v Ecuador at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Qatar's home uniform is all maroon. Their away uniform is all white. Their first uniform 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

Bahrain

Statistics vs.  Bahrain Pld W D L GF GA GD 39 8 19 11 32 36 −4

Qatar has a big rivalry with Bahrain. This is due to historical reasons between the two countries. 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 had six losses and ten draws. But they finally won in the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup.

United Arab Emirates

Statistics vs.  United Arab Emirates Pld W D L GF GA GD 34 14 9 11 47 40 +7

The rivalry with the United Arab Emirates is very competitive. They often play each other in the Arabian Gulf Cup. Because of past political issues, tensions have been high. In the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, hosted by the UAE, Qatar beat the UAE 4–0. This was their first win against them since 2001. There were strong feelings between the teams and fans during that match.

Saudi Arabia

Statistics vs.  Saudi Arabia Pld W D L GF GA GD 41 8 16 17 31 53 −22

Qatar also has a big rivalry with Saudi Arabia. This is due to historical tensions between the two countries. They have played 41 matches. Qatar has won 8 times, lost 17 times, and drawn 16 times.

Player Records

Players in bold are still active with Qatar.

Most Games Played

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

Top Goal Scorers

Almoez Ali is Qatar's top scorer with 59 goals.

Players Born Outside Qatar

It is common for football players to play for national teams different from where they were born. Qatar has also had players born in other countries on its team. In the early 1970s, Qatar started including these players. FIFA later made stricter rules to make sure players have real connections to the country they play for.

Some people have raised concerns about how Qatar has brought in players from other countries. However, Qatari officials have said this helps the team and provides opportunities. In 2016, rules about workers in Qatar were changed to improve conditions.

In a 2015 friendly game against Algeria, six of Qatar's starting eleven players were born outside Qatar. The head of FIFA at the time, Sepp Blatter, said FIFA would watch Qatar's player choices. He wanted to make sure they were not relying too much on players from other countries.

Later, the number of players born outside Qatar decreased. For example, in a 2018 friendly against Switzerland, only two players were born outside Qatar. At the 2019 Asian Cup, some countries questioned if two Qatari players were eligible. But these complaints were dismissed. For the 2022 FIFA World Cup, 10 out of 26 players on Qatar's squad were born outside of Qatar.

Team Achievements

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place  

FIFA World Cup Record

FIFA World Cup											Qualification
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930 to 1970	Did not enter or not a FIFA member										Did not enter or not a FIFA member
1974	Withdrew from qualifiers										Withdrew from qualifiers
1978 to 2018	Did not qualify										125	56	25	44	198	127
2022	Group stage	32nd	3	0	0	3	1	7	Squad		Qualified as host
2026	Qualification in progress										9	5	2	2	21	13
Total	Group stage	1/15	3	0	0	3	1	7	—		134	61	27	46	219	140

AFC Asian Cup Record

AFC Asian Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1956 to 1972	Did not enter										Did not enter
1976	Did not qualify										6	2	1	3	5	8
1980	Group stage	8th	4	1	1	2	3	8	Squad		4	3	1	0	10	2
1984		5th	4	1	2	1	3	3	Squad		4	3	0	1	11	1
1988		5th	4	2	0	2	7	6	Squad		Qualified as hosts
1992		6th	3	0	2	1	3	4	Squad		2	2	0	0	8	2
1996	Did not qualify										4	2	0	2	5	4
2000	Quarter-finals	8th	4	0	3	1	3	5	Squad		4	3	1	0	11	3
2004	Group stage	14th	3	0	1	2	2	4	Squad		6	3	2	1	10	7
2007		14th	3	0	2	1	3	4	Squad		6	5	0	1	14	4
2011	Quarter-finals	5th	4	2	0	2	7	5	Squad		Qualified as hosts
2015	Group stage	13th	3	0	0	3	2	7	Squad		6	4	1	1	13	2
2019	Champions	1st	7	7	0	0	19	1	Squad	8	7	0	1	29	4
2023	Champions	1st	7	6	1	0	14	5	Squad	8	7	1	0	18	1
2027	Qualified									6	5	1	0	18	3
Total	2 Titles	12/14	46	19	12	15	66	52	—	64	46	8	10	163	40

FIFA Arab Cup Record

FIFA Arab Cup record
Year	Result	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1963 to 1966	Did not enter
style="background:#9acdff;"								1985	Fourth place	4	1	2	1	3	2
1988 to 1992								Did not enter
1998	Runners-up	4	3	0	1	7	5
2002 to 2012	Did not enter
2021								Third place	6	4	1	1	12	3
Total	3/10	14	8	3	3	22	10

Copa América Record

Qatar was the second team from outside the Americas to play in the Copa América. They were invited for the first time in 2019.

Copa América record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
2019	Group stage	10th	3	0	1	2	2	5
Total	Group stage	10th	3	0	1	2	2	5

CONCACAF Gold Cup Record

Qatar was the second team from Asia to play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. They were invited for the first time in 2021.

CONCACAF Gold Cup record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
2021	Semi-finals	3rd	5	3	1	1	12	6
2023	Quarter-finals	8th	4	1	1	2	3	7
Total	Semi-finals	2/27	9	4	2	3	15	13

Gulf Cup Record

Gulf Cup record
Year	Result	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1970	Fourth place	3	0	1	2	4	7
1972	Fourth place	3	0	0	3	0	10
1974	Semi-finals	3	1	0	2	5	4
1976	Third place	6	4	1	1	11	6
1979	Fifth place	6	2	1	3	4	13
1982	Fifth place	5	2	0	3	5	4
1984	Runners-up	7	4	1	2	10	6
1986	Fourth place	6	2	2	2	7	8
1988	Sixth place	6	1	2	3	4	8
1990	Runners-up	4	1	2	1	4	4
1992	Champions	5	4	0	1	8	1
1994	Fourth place	5	1	1	3	6	8
1996	Runners-up	5	3	1	1	9	5
1998	Sixth place	5	0	3	2	3	8
2002	Runners-up	5	4	0	1	7	4
2003-04	Third place	6	2	3	1	5	3
2004	Champions	5	3	2	0	10	7
2007	Group stage	3	0	1	2	2	4
2009	Semi-finals	4	1	2	1	2	2
2010	Group stage	3	1	1	1	3	3
2013	Group stage	3	1	0	2	3	5
2014	Champions	5	2	3	0	6	3
2017-18	Group stage	3	1	1	1	6	3
2019	Semi-finals	4	2	0	2	11	5
2023	Semi-finals	4	1	1	2	5	5
2024	Qualified
Total	26/26	114	43	29	42	140	136

WAFF Championship Record

WAFF Championship record
Year	Result	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
2000 to 2007	Did not enter
2008								Semi-finals	3	1	0	2	2	9
2010 to 2012								Did not enter
2013															Champions	4	4	0	0	10	1
2019	Did not enter
2023	Withdrew
Total	2/10	7	5	0	2	12	10

Honours

Continental Titles

• AFC Asian Cup
  • Champions (2): 2019, 2023
• CONCACAF Gold Cup:
  • Semi-final (1): 2021

Regional Titles

• 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 Tournament Wins

• International Friendship Championship
  • Champions (1): 2018

Summary of Wins

Competition				Total
AFC Asian Cup	2	0	0	2
WAFF Championship	1	0	0	2
Arab Cup	0	1	1	2
Arabian Gulf Cup	3	4	2	9
Total	6	5	3	14

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Catar para niños

• Sport in Qatar
• Football in Qatar
• Qatar Football Association
• Qatar national under-23 football team (Qatar Olympic team)
• Qatar national under-20 football team
• Qatar national under-17 football team