Qatar arrive at the 2026 World Cup for only their second appearance. Their debut came on home soil in 2022, and it was a painful one: they became the first host nation in World Cup history to lose all three group stage matches, falling to Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands without registering a single point. South Africa in 2010 had also exited in the group stage as hosts, but managed a win and a draw. Qatar's record stands alone as the worst host nation performance the tournament has ever seen.

Qatar earned their place in 2026 the hard way, qualifying through competitive matches for the first time. They swept through the second round with five wins and a draw, then navigated a tougher third round to reach the fourth and final stage. Placed in Group A alongside the UAE and Oman, they secured qualification on 10/14/25 with a two goals to one victory over the UAE, second half headers from Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel doing the decisive work. Striker Almoez Ali finished as the top scorer across AFC qualifying with 12 goals.