Qatar beats UAE to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026

Qatar appeared astatine the 2022 World Cup arsenic tourney hosts, but the 2026 variation is their archetypal via the qualification route.

Qatar qualified for football’s 2026 World Cup connected Tuesday with a 2-1 triumph implicit the United Arab Emirates acknowledgment to second-half headers from Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel.

It marks the archetypal clip that Qatar, which mislaid each 3 group-stage games erstwhile it hosted the 2022 tournament, has precocious done qualification.

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The triumph enactment Qatar atop Group A successful the 4th circular of Asian qualification, up of the second-place United Arab Emirates (UAE), which present moves connected to the 5th circular and playoffs. Oman was eliminated aft finishing 3rd successful the group.

Qatar’s champion first-half accidental came successful the 30th minute, erstwhile Mohamed Al-Mannai’s header bounced conscionable wide of the UAE goal.

Two minutes into the 2nd half, Khoukhi opened the scoring by heading successful a escaped footwear from Akram Afif past goalkeeper Khalid Essa. With 17 minutes remaining, Afif provided different assist, crossing from the near for Pedro Miguel to caput location astatine the acold post.

Qatar fans observe their team’s triumph with the squad astatine Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium [Mohamed Farag/Getty Images]

Qatar was reduced to 10 men erstwhile Tarek Salman was shown a consecutive reddish paper successful the 87th minute. After 8 of the 15 minutes added on, UAE pulled a extremity backmost done Sultan Adil’s changeable from wrong the country to guarantee a tense finish. UAE would person precocious with a draw.

Japan and South Korea, which person already secured a spot astatine adjacent year’s World Cup, some won friendlies against South American teams connected Tuesday.

Japan bushed Brazil for the archetypal time, warring from 2 goals down to triumph 3-2 successful Tokyo. Ayase Ueda grabbed the winning extremity with a header successful the 71st minute.

South Korea bushed Paraguay 2-0 successful Seoul.