Oman
National Team Set for Crucial 2026 World Cup Qualifier Against Qatar
Doha,
7 Oct (ONA) — Oman national football team will take on Qatar in a critical
Asian playoff qualifying match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup tomorrow (Wednesday).
The showdown will kick off at 7:00 pm (Oman time) at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium
in Al Sadd Club.
This
match carries significant weight for the Omani squad, who seek a vital victory
to strengthen their qualification prospects ahead of their decisive encounter
against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday, 11 October 2025 at 9:15 pm.
The
team is banking on the extensive experience of Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz,
who has previously guided multiple national teams to World Cup qualification.
The squad features seasoned players including Ali Al-Busaidi, Harib Al-Saadi,
Jamil Al-Yahmadi, Muhsen Al-Ghassani, Salah Al-Yahyaei, and Issam Al-Subhi,
complemented by emerging talents such as A’hed Al-Mashaikhi, Abdulrahman Al-Mushaifri,
Ghanem Al-Habsi, and Musab Al-Shaqsi.
At
the pre-match press conference, the Oman coach stated: “We face Qatar
followed by the UAE, and we’re fully prepared with both the motivation and
confidence to achieve positive results and qualify. The players are ready and
committed to delivering their best performance. We’ll play with high spirit,
strong competitiveness, and singular focus, regardless of whatever challenges
we encounter.”
He
added: “All teams have equal opportunity, and our players are stronger and
more aware of this stage’s importance. We must perform at our highest level and
secure positive results in both matches. We recognize each team has strengths
and weaknesses, so we’re ensuring our players maintain complete focus and
minimize errors.”
Veteran
player Ali Al-Busaidi commented: “Qualification has been our objective
since the qualifiers began, and we’re now at the crucial stage to achieve it.
This match is extremely important, and we’ve prepared optimally. Pressure is
normal in such circumstances, and we’re ready to handle it with full
concentration and confidence.”
Qatar’s
Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui noted: “We face an important match tomorrow
against Oman. Our preparations are proceeding with high morale and enthusiasm
as we work toward optimal physical and mental readiness. We understand the
responsibility we carry.”
He
continued: “We’re focused on tomorrow’s challenge against a strong
opponent featuring distinguished players who defeated us in our previous
encounter. Our concentration is on enhancing our collective strength and team
performance. We must play distinctively and deal with every detail – our greatest
challenge is to perform at our absolute best.”
The
Omani national team will conduct its final training session at the match venue this
afternoon at 5:30 pm, involving physical and tactical drills along with final
technical preparations for the starting lineup.
This
encounter marks the 36th fixture between the two sides. Of their previous 35
matches, Oman has secured 7 victories against Qatar’s 19 wins, with 7 matches
drawn. Their most recent encounter in the 2024 Arabian Gulf Cup saw Oman
triumph 2-1. The teams previously met in the 1990 and 2002 World Cup
qualifiers, with Qatar winning both encounters 1-0 and 2-1 respectively.
The
current playoff stage features a single-match format with six teams divided
into two groups. Each group winner secures direct qualification to the 2026 World
Cup, while each runner-up advances to a two-leg playoff. The playoff winner
then progresses to the FIFA intercontinental playoff tournament featuring six
teams from different confederations, where only two will ultimately qualify for
the 2026 World Cup finals.
—
Ends/Khalid
