On Thursday, Qatar will resume their pursuit of a historic first qualification for the World Cup against Kuwait, with stability in the coaching staff but alterations on the field. This comes six weeks after their triumph in the Asian Cup held on home turf. Marquez Lopez, who guided the hosts to a 3-1 victory over Japan in the final on January 12, secured a contract extension until 2026 last month, having initially taken over from Carlos Queiroz on an interim basis in December.
The 68th edition of Asia’s premier tournament was a remarkable success from a football and global broadcasting perspective. Every group stage match was available for viewing in markets as far afield as the US, Europe, and Latin America for the first time.
Despite the massive economic boost, Qatar will face challenges as it looks to build on its success in 2023. The host nation is in the midst of a global diplomatic row and an ongoing boycott by Western powers. Nevertheless, the tournament’s organizers are confident they can deliver another successful event in a year at Lusail Stadium.
While the World Cup qualifiers are being played in various locations, the focus is squarely on the hosts. Qatar is currently sitting atop Group A ahead of the second round of qualifiers, with Kuwait and India the other teams in their section. They will be looking to secure one of eight berths available to Asia at the expanded 48-team finals.
The World Cup qualifiers are a crucible for national team coaches and a rite of passage for the top clubs. But it is a difficult journey, and many sides will end up in the wilderness after just two rounds of qualifiers. Those not fortunate enough to reach the finals must go through an inter-continental playoff.
The next World Cup qualifiers will begin on Thursday, with 44 teams competing for the 17 spots available in the finals in November and December. The 10 group winners and the two runners-up will qualify automatically, while the fifth-placed teams will enter an inter-continental playoff to determine the other three finalists.
Asian champions South Korea will be keen to get off to a good start when they host North Korea in Tokyo, while Australia and Saudi Arabia also have big games on the cards. Both the Socceroos and the Saudis aim to qualify for the first time since the World Cup was expanded from 32 to 48 teams. But for South Korea coach Juergen Klinsmann, anything less than qualifying will be considered a failure.
