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Qatar football coach Julen Lopetegui Tuesday named a 34-player preliminary squad for the FIFA World Cup to be held from June 11 to July 19.Qatar, the two-time Asian champions, will play World Cup matches against Switzerland in San Francisco on June 13, followed by games against Canada in Vancouver on June 18 and a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Seattle on June 24.The large squad that Lopetegui approved Tuesday includes the core team members who featured in their two AFC Asian Cup title wins in 2019 and 2024. Feared striker Akram Afif will be joined by veteran midfielder and captain Hasan al-Haydos, forward Moez Ali and Bassam Al Rawi. Experienced defender Pedro Miguel is also in the squad along with Mohammed Muntari who scored Qatar’s only goal at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.In a surprise inclusion, veteran forward Sebastian Soria has also been named in the 34-member squad. The 42-year-old striker first appeared for Qatar at the 2006 Asian Games held in Doha. Overall, Soria has played 124 international matches for Qatar, scoring 39 goals.Meshaal Barsham – younger brother of track and field icon Mutaz Barsham – will be key to Qatar’s World Cup plans this summer. Meshaal was the Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the AFC Asian Cup which Qatar won on home soil in Feb 2024.A QFA official confirmed on Monday during the QFA Awards ceremony that the Qatar squad will train behind closed doors starting May 15 before flying out for the World Cup. During Qatar’s training camp, two friendly matches will be played aimed at fine-tuning preparations ahead of the tournament. Qatar will face Republic of Ireland at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on May 28 before taking on El Salvador in Los Angeles on June 6. The 2026 tournament will be the first FIFA World Cup to feature 48 teams and to be jointly hosted by three countries – the United States, Canada and Mexico.FIFA’s updated guidelines for the 2026 World Cup allow nations to name an initial longlist of up to 55 players, offering coaches ample room to evaluate their options before the final cut.From that pool, teams must submit a final roster of 23 to 26 players, a range that mirrors the 2022 Qatar format, which must include at least three goalkeepers.Fans and analysts can mark their calendars for June 2, the anticipated deadline for the official squad reveals. The squad: Meshaal Barsham, Mahmoud Abu Nada, Salah Zakaria, Shehab Al Laithi, Ahmed Al Janahi, Ahmed Alaa, Ahmed Fathi, Tarek Salman, Edmilson Junior, Ayoub Al Lawati, Sultan Al Brake, Al Hashmi Al Hussein, Boualem Khoukhi, Bassam Al Rawi, Jassim Jaber, Nail Mason, Sebastian Soria, Ryan Al Ali, Assim Madibo, Abdulaziz Hatem, Issa Laay, Mohammed Manai, Karim Boudiaf, Lucas Mendes, Tahseen Mohammed, Mubarak Shanan, Homam Al Amin, Youssef Abdurisag, Mohammed Muntari, Mohammed Waad, Hassan Al Haydos, Akram Afif, Almoez Ali and Pedro Miguel. Related Story Source link
In its commitment to fostering ongoing communication with clubs, discussing the latest developments, decisions and new phase of competitions, and preparing for the upcoming 2026-2027 football season, the Qatar Stars League (QSL), in co-operation with Qatar Football Association (QFA), held a workshop for clubs. Representatives from QSL, QFA, Doha Bank Stars League clubs and Second Division clubs attended.The workshop addressed the new phase of QSL and QSL 2 competitions, providing an overview of the strategy aimed at continuing development and enhancing competitiveness among clubs, ultimately serving the best interests of Qatar football, its championships and national teams.The workshop also reviewed and clarified the new decisions, which include: cancellation of Olympic League and Second Division League, and the launch of a new competition called QSL 2. This new competition will be played on a home-and-away format and will include Second Division clubs, Under-23 national team and ‘B’ teams of some First Division clubs that meet the participation requirements and criteria. The meeting also clarified the participation mechanism and the number of foreign professional players permitted, based on the new regulations. These regulations permit each First Division club to field a maximum of five foreign professional players, in addition to at least two talented players, within the 11-man squad at any point during a match. Regarding QSL 2, eight foreign professional players are allowed within the 11-man squad at any point during a match.The meeting addressed several inquiries and questions from club representatives, providing necessary clarifications regarding the new regulations and their implementation mechanisms. This aims to support club readiness and achieve the highest levels of technical and administrative organization for competitions.It may be noted that this meeting was part of an ongoing communication strategy with clubs and further meetings will be held to provide additional information and clarifications. Related Story Source link
Rory McIlroy of Northern Irelan speaks to the media during a practice round prior to the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 12, 2026…
Pace bowler Nahid Rana claimed five wickets as Bangladesh trumped Pakistan by 104 runs in a rain-hit first Test Tuesday after a thrilling fifth day of batting collapses.Chasing 268 for victory in Dhaka, Pakistan were 119-3 before they fell to 163 all out in the final session with debutant Abdullah Fazal scoring a valiant 66.Bangladesh now hold a 1-0 lead in the two-match home series.The Test win was Bangladesh’s first against Pakistan on home soil and their third overall.The 23-year-old Fazal put on 51 runs with Salman Agha, who made 26, to raise Pakistan’s hopes of victory before Rana rattled the opposition with career-best figures of 5-40.Rana, 23, made an impact with his pace and reverse swing and his final spell of 4.5 overs got him four wickets for just 10 runs to turn the match on its head.”Very happy – proud of all the guys, the way we played,” Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said.”We have been working hard the last few months and slowly we are getting better at Test cricket – that’s one thing we have always wanted to do.”The victory also saw Shanto equal Mushfiqur Rahim’s record of seven Test wins as Bangladesh captain, achieving the milestone in just 17 matches compared to Mushfiqur’s 34.Shanto’s batting brillianceBangladesh came into the final day with a lead of 179 runs at 152-3 but a clutch of wickets made them falter despite Shanto’s 87.Bangladesh declared their second innings on 240-9 to hand Pakistan a competitive target and a chance for their bowlers to make use of the deteriorating pitch.Taskin Ahmed took down opener Imam-ul-Haq for two and Mehidy Hasan Miraz bowled debutant and first-innings centurion Azan Awais for 15.Rana removed Pakistan captain Shan Masood for two before Fazal and Agha counter-attacked in their fourth-wicket partnership, but Bangladesh bowlers proved their mettle on home turf to secure victory in the final session of the day.Rana delivered the decisive blows. He had Saud Shakeel caught behind before producing the ball of the match — a thunderous 147 kmph (91.3 mph) in-swinging yorker that bowled Mohammad Rizwan for 15.Rana was on a roll as he trapped Noman Ali lbw and then bounced out Shaheen Shah Afridi, with Mahmudul Hasan Joy taking a simple catch to complete a famous victory.Pakistan captain Masood proffered no excuses for his side’s failure to seize the key moments in the match.”In the first innings, with bat and ball, we needed to do better,” he said. “When you have the game in your hands you have to push the opposition away, but we failed to do that.”Shanto stood out for his batting brilliance as he made 101 in the first innings to guide Bangladesh to 413.Pakistan responded with 386 in their first innings but conceded a slender lead after off-spinner Mehidy returned figures of 5-102.Rain played spoilsport on the third and fourth days of the Test with a few overs lost due to interruptions.The second match will begin on Saturday in Sylhet.BRIEF SCORES: Bangladesh 413 and 240 for 9 dec (Shanto 87, Mominul 56, Hasan 3-52) beat Pakistan 386 and 163 (Fazal 66, Salman 26, Rana 5-40) by 104 runs. Related Story Source link
Qatar’s swimmers delivered an impressive performance on the opening day of the GCC Games Doha 2026, winning three gold medals and two silvers at the Hamad Aquatic Centre Tuesday.Saadeddin claimed Qatar’s first gold after winning the men’s 800m freestyle in a Games record time of 7:57.54 secs. Bahrain’s Robert Bonsall finished second, while Kuwait’s Saud Alshamroukh took bronze.Mohamed Mahmoud added another gold for the hosts by topping the men’s 200m individual medley in 2:03.02, also setting a Games record ahead of Bahrain’s Saud Ghali and Kuwait’s Khaled Alotaibi. Qatar’s third gold came through Emile Fouzai, who won the men’s 200m butterfly in 2:02.20 ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Alzaki and Kuwait’s Mohammad Alotaibi.In the men’s 50m freestyle, Qatar’s Ali Tamer Hassan settled for silver after clocking 22.69 seconds, narrowly behind Saudi Arabia’s Emad Addin Zaben, who won gold with a Games record of 22.64. Bahrain’s Mikhail Arkhangelskiy claimed bronze.Abdalla Elghamry secured Qatar’s second silver medal after finishing runner-up in the men’s 100m backstroke with a time of 58.32 seconds behind Saudi Arabia’s Ali Alessa, who set a Games record of 57.39. Meanwhile, Qatar’s men made an unbeaten start in the 3×3 basketball competition at Al Gharafa Sports Hall. The hosts defeated the UAE 22-9 before overcoming Bahrain 21-15 in Pool A action. Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait 22-16, while Bahrain later defeated Kuwait 21-10. The UAE edged Saudi Arabia 15-13 in overtime. In the women’s competition, Qatar opened with a 15-10 victory over Oman before edging Kuwait 14-13 in overtime. Kuwait had earlier defeated Oman 13-12 after overtime. Elsewhere in Pool B, Saudi Arabia beat the UAE 19-12, while Bahrain defeated the UAE 18-9 and later overcame Saudi Arabia 17-12. Competitions are being staged across Qatar’s state-of-the-art sporting venues, providing athletes with world-class conditions to perform at their best. The venues include Aspire Dome, the Women’s Sports Hall, Hamad Aquatic Centre, Qatar Sports Club, the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation Hall, Al Gharafa Sports Club, Lusail Shooting Range, Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, Qatar Bowling Federation Hall and Duhail Arena. Source link
The 4th GCC Games Doha 2026 opened in spectacular fashion at Al Shaqab Indoor Arena Monday, with a vibrant ceremony celebrating Gulf unity and highlighting the multi-event’s role as a platform for the region’s young athletes to showcase their talent.The Games will bring together 1400 athletes and officials where athletes will compete across 17 sports over 11 days of competition, which aim to strengthen sporting ties and inspire the next generation across the Gulf. His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Olympic Council of Asia and Qatar Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Organising Committee for the GCC Games Doha 2026, officially declared the Games open and wished success to all participating athletes.HE Sheikh Joaan said: “Doha is proud to host this fourth edition of the GCC Games, bringing together athletes and friends from across our region. At a time when the world faces many challenges and uncertainties, these Games reaffirm the important role sport can play in strengthening dialogue, cooperation and understanding between peoples. Sport continues to be one of the strongest platforms for unity and optimism across the Gulf region. We witnessed this clearly during the Asian Beach Games Sanya 2026, where all 45 National Olympic Committees of Asia came together in a remarkable celebration of sport and friendship.”He added: “In Qatar, we strongly believe in the power of sport to build healthier, more connected and more united societies. Over the past two decades, Qatar has welcomed athletes, fans and delegations from around the world and hosted more than 20 World Championships. This legacy, which dates back to the Doha 2006 Asian Games, has provided us with world-class venues and expertise that today serve the ambitions of athletes from across the Gulf. We extend our appreciation to the GCC Federations, partners and organisers for their support of this event, and to every athlete competing in Doha 2026 — we wish them success in showcasing the true spirit of Gulf sport.” The 30-minute opening ceremony combined sport, art and culture in a visually striking production that departed from traditional formats through its youthful and modern presentation. Symbolic performances reflected the shared identity and unity of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.A highlight of the evening was the operetta “One Gulf, One Heart”, which celebrated the solidarity and common heritage of the GCC nations. Conceived, written and composed by Faisal Ibrahim al-Tamimi, the production blended music, theatre and choreography in an emotional tribute to Gulf brotherhood.The show impressed with its seamless mix of melodies, coordinated movements and visual storytelling, creating an engaging atmosphere for spectators inside the arena and viewers watching elsewhere. Advanced lighting, giant screens and visual effects enhanced the spectacle while complementing the heritage-inspired performances, underlining Qatar’s expertise in staging major international sporting events. Children and young girls from Qatar also featured prominently in the performances, adding an emotional and human touch through displays that highlighted values of identity and belonging.Large group performances involving participants of different age groups showcased remarkable precision and harmony, reinforcing the themes of teamwork and unity that defined the ceremony.The Games feature competitions in handball, table tennis, athletics, padel, fencing, boxing, taekwondo, karate, swimming, billiards, snooker, 3×3 basketball, shooting, archery, volleyball, equestrian and bowling. Hosts Qatar are represented by a delegation of around 300 athletes. The opening ceremony was attended by a number of Ministers, Presidents of the GCC Olympic committees, and senior sports officials, including Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal, President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee; Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee; Sheikh Fahad Nasser Sabah Al Ahmad al-Sabah, President of the Kuwait Olympic Committee; Sayyid Azzan bin Qais al-Said, President of the Oman Olympic Committee; and Sheikh Isa bin Ali al-Khalifa, Vice President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, alongside a number of GCC sports leaders.Jassim bin Rashid al-Buainain, Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Organising Committee, said Doha’s hosting of the Games reflected Qatar’s continued commitment to supporting Gulf sport and strengthening cooperation among GCC nations.He described the Games as an important gathering that combines competition with fraternity, while also strengthening bonds between Gulf peoples and promoting the values of solidarity and unity. Al-Buainain added that the organising committee had worked closely with all stakeholders to ensure the best technical and organisational standards for the event, while confirming that Qatari athletes were fully prepared to compete for medals across all sports.Mohammed Issa al-Fadala, Chairman of the Sports Committee of the Games, praised the technical and organisational quality of the opening ceremony, saying it successfully projected Gulf identity through a world-class production befitting Doha’s standing as a regional sporting capital. “We witnessed an exceptional ceremony that conveyed the message of unity and shared destiny among the peoples of the Gulf, while reflecting Qatar’s outstanding organisational capabilities in hosting major sporting events,” al-Fadala said.He added that the organising committee had reached full readiness across all operational and competition venues ahead of the start of events.Competitions officially begin Tuesday, with swimming at the Hamad Aquatic Centre and 3×3 basketball at Al Gharafa Club Hall. 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Competition in the fourth GCC Games – Doha 2026 will begin Tuesday, with Doha hosting the event through May 22. The tournament will feature 1,400 male and female athletes from the six GCC states competing in 17 sports: handball, table tennis, athletics, padel, fencing, boxing, taekwondo, karate, swimming, billiards, snooker, 3×3 basketball, shooting, archery, volleyball, equestrian and bowling.Women athletes will compete in 3×3 basketball, athletics, padel, taekwondo, fencing, shooting and archery.Qatar will be represented by 193 athletes competing across all events at the tournament.Bowling competition will open on Tuesday at the Qatar Bowling Federation Hall, with the singles event taking place on the opening day. Players will compete through to the final, followed by an awards ceremony later that day.Qatar’s bowling team will include Jassim Al Muraikhi, Talal Al Marri, Badr Al Sada, Abdulrahman Al Dosari, Ahmed Darwish and Abdullah Al Dosari.Bowling competition will continue on Wednesday with the doubles event, followed by the medal ceremony. The trios competition, consisting of three games, will take place on Thursday, also followed by medal presentations. The team event will be held on Friday and Saturday, while the bowling competition will conclude on Sunday with the Masters event and final awards ceremony.Qatari bowlers are seeking to continue their run of podium finishes at the tournament and raise the Qatari flag high at the Gulf sporting event.Taekwondo competition will also begin on Tuesday at the Qatar Women’s Sports Committee Hall in Aspire Dome. Events will be contested across eight weight categories: under 80 kilograms, over 80 kilograms, under 58 kilograms, under 68 kilograms, over 67 kilograms, under 67 kilograms, under 57 kilograms and under 49 kilograms.Qatar’s taekwondo team will include four male and three female athletes: Mohammed Shaalan in the under-80-kilogram division; Ali Al Arimi in the over-80-kilogram division; Hassan Al Nuaimi in the under-58-kilogram division; Mohammed Ashraf Awadallah in the under-68-kilogram division; Nour Mohammed in the over-67-kilogram division; Maram Al Fatnassi in the under-67-kilogram division; and Nojood Ali Al Fahd in the under-57-kilogram division.Taekwondo competition will run for two days, with medal ceremonies held at the end of each day across the various weight divisions.Table tennis competition will also begin on Tuesday at the Aspire Dome and continue through May 17.Qatar’s team will feature Mohammed Abdulwahab, Abdullah Abdulwahab, Sultan Al Kuwari, Ahmed Eid and Rawad Al Nasser.Competition will be held in men’s and women’s singles, men’s doubles, mixed doubles and the men’s team event.Four teams, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman, will compete in the men’s team category.Winners across all categories will be crowned on May 16 and 17.Competition in the 3×3 basketball tournament at the fourth GCC Games – Doha 2026 will also begin Tuesday, with Gharafa Hall hosting both the men’s and women’s events.In the men’s competition, Qatar will play three consecutive Group A games, opening against the United Arab Emirates at 3:45 p.m., followed by Bahrain at 6:15 p.m., before concluding the day against Kuwait at 7:30 p.m.In the women’s competition, Qatar will play two Group A matches on Tuesday, beginning against Oman at 2:30 p.m., followed by Kuwait at 5 p.m.Swimming competition at the Hamad Aquatic Center and billiards competition at the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation Hall will also begin on Tuesday.Equestrian events at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, along with fencing and boxing at Aspire Dome and shooting at Lusail Shooting Range, will begin on Wednesday.Athletics competition at Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium at Qatar SC, as well as handball matches at Duhail Sports Hall, will begin on Thursday.Snooker competition at the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation Hall will begin on Friday, while volleyball competition at the Women’s Sports Hall and the padel competition at Aspire Dome will begin on Saturday. Source link
His Excellency the Minister of Sports and Youth Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani inaugurated the official digital platform for the project documenting the history of Qatari football (1948-present), marking the launch of a landmark national initiative aimed at preserving the legacy of football in Qatar through a modern institutional framework that combines scientific methodology with digital innovation. The project reflects a firm belief that football in Qatar has long served as a social and cultural pillar that contributed to shaping public consciousness and mirrored the transformations of Qatari society across different historical periods. In this context, the initiative seeks to transform decades of sporting heritage, milestones, and iconic moments into a credible national archive that preserves the past while ensuring its continuity for future generations. Speaking during the launch ceremony, the chairman of the Committee for the Documentation and Archiving of Qatari Football History, Ali Dawood, said that the achievement was the result of sustained institutional work that began in August 2020, driven by the conviction that documenting the history of Qatari football is a national responsibility equal in importance to the achievements themselves, as it preserves and sustains them. He said that the committee focused on collecting, verifying, and archiving a vast body of historical material, including documents, photographs, oral testimonies, and rare footage, all reviewed according to rigorous scientific standards. Dawood added that documentation, research, and technical teams succeeded in building a comprehensive knowledge base that has been organised, indexed, and digitised to serve as a reliable national reference for researchers, media professionals, and future generations. He stressed that the accomplishment was the product of integrated teamwork carried out in accordance with the highest standards of quality and governance. He noted that the committee’s attainment of ISO 9001:2015 certification within a record period for a documentation project reflects its commitment to institutional excellence and sustainable professional practices. The committee adopted a comprehensive organisational structure comprising specialised teams in historical documentation, oral history, archiving, digitisation, verification, and review to ensure accuracy, governance, and quality outputs. Its work began with the collection of rare documents, photographs, and video materials, alongside recording testimonies of pioneers and key figures in Qatari football, followed by cross-referenced historical verification, digitisation of content, and the development of an interactive database based on the latest international standards. The committee stated that the project has reached an advanced stage, noting that the digital platform currently contains nearly 15 terabytes of historical data and content and continues to undergo expansion and updates. The volume of content is expected to nearly double during upcoming phases as part of a phased strategy designed to ensure the project’s comprehensiveness, sustainability, and status as a living national reference for the history of Qatari football. The committee also announced the publication of several specialised documentary books as part of the archiving project, covering pivotal milestones in Qatar’s football journey. These include publications on the early beginnings of football in Qatar, the national team’s participation in the Gulf Cup, and Qatar’s journey in FIFA World Cup tournaments, within a vision aimed at delivering verified knowledge content that combines historical narrative with scientific methodology. Among the publications is The Story of the Beginning, which documents the formative years of football in Qatar, tracing its emergence within early labour communities before spreading across Doha neighbourhoods and evolving into clubs, teams, and stadiums. Another publication, Qatar in the Gulf Cup: Legacy and Impact, chronicles Qatar’s participation in the Arabian Gulf Cup since the tournament’s inception, highlighting the technical, organisational, and fan-related transformations that accompanied its football journey within the broader Gulf sporting landscape. The book Qatar in the World Cup: Journey and Milestones documents the evolution of Qatari football from its early qualification attempts to the historic hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the national team’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The publication offers both historical and analytical perspectives on a long journey marked by ambition, challenges, and achievement. Related Story Source link
Olympic champion and crowd favourite Soufiane El Bakkali of Moroccan will make a welcome return to the Doha meeting when he competes in the 3000m steeplechase at the Khalifa International Stadium on June 19.El Bakkali, who backed up his Tokyo 2021 Olympic title with gold in Paris 2024, is also a two-time world champion (2022 and 2023). He came agonisingly close to make it a trio of global golds at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo but eventually finished second to New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish.The 30-year-old clocked a 3000m personal best of 7.33.87 in his last outing in Doha in 2023. It kick-started a year to remember as he ran a lifetime best of 7:56.68 in the steeplechase in Rabat later the same month and went on to record an unbeaten season of five wins in steeplechase finals from May through to September.“Doha feels like my second home and it means a lot to me to compete at this meeting where I’m privileged to have such great supporters,” said the 2022 Wanda Diamond League champion.“I faced some challenges last year, and although I came away from the World Championships with a silver medal I was disappointed. The support and encouragement I have had since then gives me great motivation and strength to move forward. I continue to set big goals and I am very disciplined in my approach. In the future, my ambition is to win the Olympic gold in LA, but the one that I dream of for now is to set a new world record in the 3000m steeplechase. Doha might come too soon, but to have the opportunity to race in this event with the backing of so many Moroccans will be special.”The Doha meeting was originally due to take place at the Qatar Sports Club on May 8 as the opening meeting of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League season. Due to the conflict in the Middle East, it has been rescheduled to take place at the Khalifa International Stadium (which is temperature regulated to allow athletes to compete safely in even hotter conditions).The Doha meeting is now the seventh meeting of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League. The series comprises 15 of the most prestigious events in global track and field across four different continents and begins in Shanghai/Keqiao on 16 May (as a result of the Doha Meeting being rescheduled). It concludes with a single final across two days in Brussels (4-5 September). Related Story Source link
Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui is expecting a tough time next January when the two-time champions arrive in Saudi Arabia to defend their AFC Asian Cup crown they won in 2019 and 2024. On Sunday, Qatar were drawn with four-time winners Japan, Thailand and Indonesia in Group F of the 24-team tournament set to be held in Saudi Arabia from Jan 7-Feb 5 next year. Qatar beat Japan in the final of the 2019 edition staged in the UAE for their maiden AFC Asian Cup title triumph. Five years years later on home soil, Qatar beat Jordan in the title clash of Asia’s showpiece football tournament to win two back-to-back trophies under the captaincy of Hasan al-Haydos. After the draw ceremony staged in Riyadh on Sunday, Lopetegui said: “We are optimistic but understand the qualities of our opponents and we will play in a very tough group. Japan are the main favourites, Indonesia have improved a lot, and so have Thailand. It’s going to be a tough and balanced group, now we have a lot of work to do.” Born in Asteasu, Spain, Lopetegui has enjoyed a remarkable career both on the pitch and on the sidelines. Appointed as the head coach of the Spanish national team on July 21, 2016, he managed 16 matches, securing 12 victories and 4 draws. He was named Qatar coach last year in May. Lopetegui’s next big assignment is the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be held in the US, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. Thailand’s coach Anthony Hudson said: “It’s an exciting group. It’s a good group. Obviously some big teams in there. For us, it’s a great opportunity to play against some really good opponents and anything can happen. If you want to play in the Asian Cup, it’s great to meet a team like Japan. Our opening game against Qatar is a great game. Then you look at Indonesia who are improving, there’s a huge rivalry there.” John Herdman, coach of Indonesia, said: “The expectation for Indonesia is to represent the country as the fans want to see us. They are the most passionate of fans and every time the players put on the jersey, we owe them everything we got. This tournament gives us a chance to do something special for them. Thailand are a strong team but every game in this group is huge.” Related Story Source link