RIYADH: Four years after suffering the ignominy of becoming the first host nation to lose all three group-stage matches at the FIFA World Cup finals, Qatar return to football’s biggest stage in search of redemption. The Maroons once again line up as continental champions, having retained the AFC Asian Cup in early 2024. Yet despite that success, the expectations surrounding Julen Lopetegui’s side remain muted. Drawn in the group stage alongside Switzerland, Bosnia-Herzegovina and co-hosts Canada, Qatar start the tournament with one objective: to prove they belong at the World Cup finals.

CAIRO, June 1 : Qatar will arrive at the World Cup seeking to redefine themselves after a disappointing tournament in 2022 when they became the first host nation to lose all three…

June 1 : - Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui named nine forwards, including two-time Asian Player of the Year Akram Afif and the country's all-time top scorer Almoez Ali, in his World…