Julen Lopetegui Appointed Head Coach of Qatar National Team

According to @QFA_EN, Julen Lopetegui — former coach of West Ham United, Real Madrid, and the Spain national team — has officially been appointed as the new head coach of the Qatar national football team.

“Ready to start a new chapter. Welcome Lopetegui. We are very excited to begin this journey together,” the official QFA account stated.

The Spanish coach replaces Luis Garcia and has been signed on a contract until 2027 — the year Qatar will aim to defend their AFC Asian Cup title.

Lopetegui’s first task will be to lead the Qatar national team against Iran in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for the Asian zone. Qatar may face the Indonesia national team in the fourth round of qualifying — if both teams manage to progress from their respective groups.