The UAE national team have begun life with manager Paulo Bento, as they kicked off preparations for 2026 World Cup qualification with a training camp in Austria. Bento, <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2023/07/10/uae-appoint-ambitious-paulo-bento-as-national-team-manager/" target="_blank">appointed earlier this month on a three-year contract</a>, travelled with his new team on Saturday for a 13-day get-together before the 2023/24 Adnoc Pro League gets under way on August 18. The Portuguese coach, 54, <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/fifa-world-cup-2022/2022/12/05/neymar-among-the-goals-as-brazil-thrash-south-korea-at-world-cup/" target="_blank">guided South Korea to the knockout stages of last year’s World Cup</a>, and has been handed a <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2023/07/10/paulo-bento-vows-no-regrets-as-he-sets-sights-on-asian-cup-and-2026-world-cup-with-uae/" target="_blank">remit of masterminding what would represent only the UAE’s second qualification</a> for a World Cup. The second round of qualifiers, where the UAE enter, begins in November. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2023/05/12/uae-fa-seek-new-president-and-coach-as-sheikh-rashid-resigns-and-arruabarrena-departs/" target="_blank">Previously managed by Argentine Rodolfo Arruabarrena</a>, the national team were <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2023/07/27/uae-made-to-wait-to-discover-final-make-up-of-group-on-first-steps-to-2026-world-cup/" target="_blank">last week drawn in Group H </a>alongside Bahrain and either Yemen or Sri Lanka, and Nepal or Laos. Those sides must first come through a play-off in October. The UAE will host Nepal or Laos on Matchday 1 on November 16 before taking on Bahrain in Manama five days later. The 2026 World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams. The UAE have only once previously reached a global finals, in 1990.
