Qatar begins preparations for potential match against Indonesia national team

The Qatar national team — 2023 Asian Cup champions — has begun preparations for a potential matchup against Indonesia’s national team in the fourth round of 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.

Marquez Lopez’s squad must go through the playoff route after failing to finish in the top two positions of Group A third round. The team nicknamed The Maroons had to settle for fourth place behind Iran, Uzbekistan, and the United Arab Emirates.

This failure marks an irony for Qatar — the 2022 World Cup hosts — who were previously favored to qualify directly for the quadrennial tournament. Led by star striker Almoez Ali, Qatar is now determined to improve their performance to secure an automatic ticket in the fourth round.