Youth players getting ample playing time in the domestic league, as well as veteran striker Mohammed Muntari, have been called up for the upcoming qualifiers against Uzbekistan and UAE.
Qatar’s head coach Bartolome Marquez Lopez has announced the 27-man squad to face Uzbekistan and the UAE in the upcoming Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Changes in the new call-up include the re-introduction of Al Sadd’s young midfielder Moustafa Meshaal, Al Duhail’s attacking full-back Homam Ahmed, and veteran striker Mohammed Muntari.
The changes add more youngsters to the already youth-heavy squad, which includes the likes of 18-year-old midfielder Ibrahim Al-Hassan, who already has two goals in the campaign so far.
Muntari, meanwhile, returns after a lengthy injury lay-off. His last game was in November 2023 against India in the second round of World Cup qualifications.
The 30-year-old has so far bagged 13 goals in 57 matches for the national team and remains the only Qatari player to have scored at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
He recently scored two goals off the bench for his new club Al Gharafa upon his return from injury.
The striker’s inclusion is in line with Marquez Lopez’s approach of calling up experienced players who have done well in the league. Defenders Boualem Khoukhi and Abdelkarim Hassan were included on similar grounds.
“The door is open for everyone at the national team,” the Qatar head coach had said when asked about constant changes to the squad.
“Whoever performs well [in the Ooredoo Stars League] will have a chance to make it to the national team, especially since it is a long campaign.”
The rest of the squad remains largely unchanged from the last games against Kyrgyzstan and Iran, bar the exclusion of Mohammed Aiash, Ahmed Alaa, and Naif Al-Hadrami.
Qatar will play Uzbekistan in November at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, before traveling to Abu Dhabi’s Al Nahyan Stadium for the clash against UAE.
Al Annabi are currently in the fourth spot in Group A, reeling from two losses and a draw in their first four matches.
The Asian Cup 2023 champions’ only win so far has come against Kyrgyzstan at the Al Thumama Stadium, and desperately need to turn their campaign around to have a shot at World Cup qualification.
Goalkeepers
Meshaal Barsham (Al Sadd), Saad Al Sheeb (Al Sadd), Salah Zakaria (Al Duhail), Marwan Sherif (Al Ahli).
Defenders
Bassam Al-Rawi (Al Duhail), Lucas Mendez (Al Wakrah), Abdelkarim Hassan (Al Wakrah), , Almahdi Ali (Al Wakrah), Tarek Salman (Al Sadd), Boualem Khoukhi (Al Sadd), Sultan Al-Brake (Al Duhail), Abdullah Al-Yazidi (Al Sadd), Homam Ahmed (Al Duhail).
Midfielders
Edmilson Junior (Al Duhail), Mohammed Waad (Al Sadd), Abdelrahman Moustafa (Al Ahli), Abdulaziz Hatem (Al Rayyan), Ahmed Fathy (Al Arabi), Jassim Jaber (Al Arabi), Ibrahim Al-Hassan (Calahorra), Moustafa Meshaal (Al Sadd).
Forwards
Akram Afif (Al Sadd), Almoez Ali (Al Duhail), Ismaeel Mohammed (Al Duhail), Yusuf Abdurisag (Al Sadd), Ahmed Al-Ganehi (Al Gharafa), Mohammed Muntari (Al Gharafa).
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