FIFA World Cup 2026: Can Asian champions Qatar reach the knockouts?

Key points

• Al Jazeera speaks to Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui ahead of the World Cup, with a shot at knockouts within their grasp.
• Previous World Cup appearances: One Best performance: Group stage (2022) First appearance: 2022 (Qatar) Top goal scorer: Mohammed Muntari (1) Most appearances: Abdelkarim Hassan, Boualem Khoukhi, Akram Afif (3 each) Player to watch: Almoez Ali FIFA world ranking: 55 Four years on from their FIFA World Cup debut on home soil, Qatar are gearing up for a new “dream”.
• The reigning – and back-to-back – Asian champions head to the June 11-July 19 football tournament in North America, having qualified outright for the first time in the Arab nation’s history.
• Making their way to the showpiece after three successful rounds of qualifiers, the Qataris find themselves in an interesting, and potentially inviting, Group B, facing Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• The prospect of reaching the knockout stages for...