The Qatar Football Association’s strategy for the coming period will include many athletic programmes and pursuits that will be achieved on and off the pitch.
The Qatar Football Association (QFA) has reviewed its strategy for the upcoming season, seeking to raise the competitive level of Qatari football further amid upcoming joint Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and the AFC U-23 Cup.
QFA members met during a Ramadan Ghabga, a Gulf tradition shared between Iftar and Suhoor.
The committee was in the company of QFA President Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain and other football representatives.
According to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Buainain noted the incredible efforts made by QFA members, club representatives, and partners before the hosted AFC Asian Cup 2023, which crowned Qatar with the title for the second time.
QFA’s strategy for the coming period will include many athletic programmes and pursuits that will be achieved on and off the pitch.
The President of the QFA also voiced that the first and Olympic teams are facing essential events, which are the joint Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and the AFC U-23 Cup, calling for all steps to be combined to support them.
Qatar has seen a significant rise in its football stature, climbing 21 places to secure the 37th position in the latest FIFA Ranking after capitalising on its home pitch to defend its continental crown against Jordan successfully.
Accumulating the biggest tally (92.04 points), the two-time AFC Asian Cup champion triumphed over Jordan with a 3-1 victory at Lusail Stadium, where Akram Afif converted three penalties, emerged as the tournament’s top scorer, leading the hosts to their second continental title.
Jordan was playing in its first Asian Cup final and sought its first major trophy, but it fell short.
Qatar prevailed in front of 86,492 fans, including Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Afif has joined the ranks of legendary footballers such as Ali Daei, Tim Cahill, and Lee Dong-gook, who have previously earned the honour of being the Golden Boot winner.
Twenty-four teams competed at the AFC Asian Cup 2023 in Qatar, which concluded on February 10.
Jordan has risen 17 places in the Asian FIFA rankings to the 70th position, while Thailand, whose journey ended at the round of 16 stage in the games, has moved 12 places to the 101st position.
Tajikistan, marking their debut Asian Cup campaign, has risen 7 places to secure the 99th position, first appearing in the top 100 of the FIFA ranking.
Iran climbed up one rank to the 20th place while Japan dropped to the 18th place.
