Qatar have plenty of reasons to be optimistic regarding their match on Thursday, despite the team’s coach warning against ‘excessive confidence’. 

There will be plenty to look forward to as Qatar face the United Arab Emirates in the opening of the final round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers at the Ahmad bin Ali stadium.

For coach Bartolome “Tintin” Marquez Lopez and his Qatari side, recent successes have provided a solid foundation for confidence. With two consecutive Asian Cup victories, an unbeaten streak in the current qualifying campaign, and a strong recent record against their Thursday opponents, the Maroons are well-positioned to rise to the challenge.

Qatar have scored four or more goals in their last three victories against the UAE, including the 5-0 drubbing at the Al Bayt Stadium in the Arab Cup 2021. The 4-0 win en route to their maiden Asian Cup win in 2019 came at the height of the Gulf diplomatic crisis, which became infamous as the furious home fans in the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium threw sandals and shoes at the Qatari players.  

Although Qatar have effectively buried the ghosts of their abysmal World Cup debut with the Asian Cup win earlier this year, to many, it is the same side that can falter when things are at stake. 

The record books of World Cup qualification do not work in Qatar’s favour and the Maroons are yet to qualify on merit, despite getting agonisingly close in 1989 and 1997. The UAE, however, qualified for the 1990 World Cup in Italy, replacing Qatar in the eleventh hour.

That is why Marquez Lopez stressed on focusing on the ninety minutes on Thursday, rather than the past and recent successes. 

“It would be stupid to think that,” the 62-year-old said when asked whether previous results would help.

“We do have previous experience against them, but excessive confidence is bad. It’s a difficult mission. It is not about confidence, but about statistics.” 

The 26-man squad, which includes the midfield duo of Assim Madibo and Karim Boudiafis, is a mix of the old guard and new talents picked from the under-23 pool to bank on the attacking strength of Akram Afif and Almoez Ali. 

“The space is open for all our players and there will be changes as the campaign progresses,” Marquez Lopez told the press.

Qatar have looked like a team that can salvage results against the odds, especially after the Spaniard took charge last December on the eve of the Asian Cup. Captain Hassan Al-Haydos, who has since retired, went on to say Marquez Lopez took charge at the “right time” hours after the triumphant campaign came to a close. 

Almoez Ali, Qatar’s highest scorer of the ongoing campaign and the joint-highest overall alongside Tottenham Hotspurs and South Korea star Heung-min Son, echoed the same sentiment on Wednesday.

“We are fully comfortable with the coach,” the Al Duhail attacker said. “We achieved a lot in and out of Qatar, but something is missing for this generation of players — it’s a dream to qualify for the World Cup.” 

Qatar will have a home advantage, drawing their confidence from their fans. Supporters of local clubs have teamed up ahead of the fixture to join hands with Mudaraj Al-Annabi, a local initiative to get behind the national team. According to the Qatar Football Federation, 90% of the tickets have been purchased.

“It is heartwarming,” Ali said of the home fans. “They comforted us during the last championship [Asian Cup]. Our supporters are our main motivation.” 

For the UAE, it is a similar case of showing up with a fresh approach, especially against a side they have struggled against recently. 

“It is something of the past,” UAE coach Paulo Bento said when asked about his team’s previous results. “Qatar is a team with very good individual quality and a good coach. It is crucial that we have our heads in the game from the beginning to the end.” 

The UAE team’s last trip to Qatar was not one to remember, as they crashed out of the Asian Cup against Tajikistan on penalties, coincidentally at the same venue that they will play on Thursday.

“I’m ready for this game,”  Emirati centre-back Khalifa Al-Hammadi said, adding the team has moved on from past experiences. “We are playing to get three points. Every game has its context. It is not a matter of revenge.” 

Al-Hammadi and Bento’s confidence also rests on the addition of recently naturalised players, three of them with European experience. Montpellier’s Junior Ndiaye, Mackenzie Hunt of Fleetwood Town, and Southampton’s young goalkeeper Adil Mohamed have been called up for the first time, alongside Ivory Coast-born defender Kouame Autonne of Asian Champion club Al Ain. 

“It is crucial that we have our heads in the game from the beginning to the end,” Bento said. “The focus should be on performing as well as we can, considering it is going to be a long journey,” the UAE coach added.