Qatar rev up preparations for UAE clash as tickets sale receives overwhelming response

Doha: Qatar entered the final phase of the preparations for their opening match of the third round of Asian Qualifiers for FIFA 2026 World Cup against...

Doha: Qatar entered the final phase of the preparations for their opening match of the third round of Asian Qualifiers for FIFA 2026 World Cup against the United Arab Emirates at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, which is expected to operate at full capacity on Thursday.

Within a few days from the start of ticket sales, 75 percent of seats have already been secured by the fans for the highly-anticipated clash at the 45000-capacity venue, the Qatar Football Association (QFA) announced yesterday.

The team’s training camp that started last week under the supervision of head coach Marquez Lopez has picked top gear as the two-time Asian champions look to emulate their performance of the second round in which they stayed unbeaten topping their group to advance in the qualifiers.

Qatar will need a top-two finish in their group to earn direct qualification for the World Cup and avoid the following stages in the Asian Qualifiers. They will also face Asian giants Iran, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and North Korea. Lopez’s side will take North Korea in their second match on September 10 in Laos but currently their focus is on the opening match against the neighbouring side.