UAE Hope For Perfect Start in 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

The Road to 2026

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will begin their quest to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Qatar when they face Lebanon in their opening match of the Asian Qualifiers on September 19, 2023. The UAE are hoping to make their second consecutive World Cup appearance after qualifying for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Key Players

The UAE will be led by a number of key players, including captain Ali Mabkhout, who is the country's all-time leading goalscorer. Other key players include Omar Abdulrahman, Ismail Matar, and Ahmed Khalil.

Challenges

The UAE will face a number of challenges in their quest to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They are drawn in a tough group that includes Saudi Arabia, Australia, and China. They will also need to overcome the challenge of playing in extreme heat and humidity in the Middle East.

History

The UAE have a mixed history in FIFA World Cup qualifying. They have qualified for the World Cup twice, in 1990 and 2022. However, they have also failed to qualify for the tournament on a number of occasions.

2022 World Cup

The UAE made their World Cup debut in 2022 in Qatar. They were drawn in a tough group that included Argentina, Mexico, and Poland. The UAE lost all three of their group matches and were eliminated from the tournament in the group stage.

Looking Ahead

The UAE are hoping to build on their experience in the 2022 World Cup and qualify for the 2026 tournament in Qatar. They will need to improve their results in the Asian Qualifiers and overcome the challenges of playing in extreme heat and humidity. However, they have a number of talented players and are confident that they can achieve their goal.