Marrakech – Qatar will host Bahrain in an international friendly at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha today at 6:15 p.m. local time (4:15 p.m. Moroccan time). The match serves as a crucial preparation for Qatar ahead of their fourth round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup next month.
Al Annabi enter the fixture following a disappointing run of form. They finished fourth in the third stage of AFC qualifying, collecting just 13 points from 10 games and managing only a single point from their five away matches. This poor performance means they must now navigate through another qualification round to secure their spot at the World Cup finals.
Recent performance has done little to boost Qatar’s confidence. They suffered defeats to Udinese and Lebanon in preseason friendlies, placing additional pressure on manager Julen Lopetegui, who took charge in May. The Spanish coach will view this match as an important opportunity to assess his squad before competitive fixtures resume.
Qatar’s fourth-stage qualifying campaign has already generated controversy. Both Qatar and Saudi Arabia have been selected as hosts for this phase, prompting complaints from other competing nations who claim this gives them a competitive advantage.
Critics point to FIFA’s close relationships with these countries, with Qatar having hosted the 2022 World Cup and Saudi Arabia set to stage the 2034 edition.
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Despite these issues, Qatar remains favored to qualify from their three-team section, which includes Oman and the United Arab Emirates. However, they will be wary of UAE, who finished above them in the previous qualifying round.
Bahrain comes into the match after struggling in their World Cup qualifying campaign. They finished bottom of a challenging six-team group that included Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and China, collecting only six points from 10 matches.
Despite this disappointment, reaching that stage represented a significant achievement for a nation with limited resources compared to their competitors.
Following their elimination from World Cup qualifying, Bahrain’s competitive schedule appears light for the remainder of 2025. They have only one non-friendly fixture scheduled – an Arab Cup qualifier against Djibouti – though they are guaranteed participation in next year’s Gulf Cup.
Head-to-head history favors Bahrain, who have won 11 of the 40 previous encounters between the teams, compared to Qatar’s nine victories. The remaining 20 matches ended in draws. Their most recent meeting came in the 2023 Gulf Cup group stage, where Bahrain secured a 2-1 win.
Qatar’s attack will likely be led by Akram Afif, who has scored 38 international goals and is one of four squad members with over 100 caps. Goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham could earn his 50th cap if selected, though Salah Zakaria may be preferred between the posts for this fixture.
Bahrain also boasts experienced players, with five squad members having made more than 100 international appearances. Striker Mohamed Al-Romaihi has been struggling with injury over the summer, meaning Mahdi Abd Al Jabar is expected to lead the line.
After facing Bahrain, Qatar will take on Russia on Saturday, September 7, at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. These friendlies will help Lopetegui prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Oman on October 8 and the UAE on October 14.
