The UAE face a tough road to reach the 2026 Fifa World Cup after being paired in a group with regional heavyweights Iran and Qatar in Asian qualifying.
The national team have only once before appeared at a global finals, back in 1990, and must navigate a Group A also containing Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and North Korea if they are to reach the 2026 edition to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Iran have appeared at six World Cups including the 2022 edition held in Qatar where they failed to make it out of the group stage.
Qatar are back-to-back winners of the Asian Cup following their 3-1 win over Jordan at last February's rearranged tournament held on home soil.
The UAE, coached by the experienced Portuguese Paulo Bento, safely navigated the second round of Asian qualifying, winning five of their six games to top Group H on 16 points ahead of Bahrain.
Following last month's 1-1 draw against Bahrain in Dubai, Bento called on his squad to improve considerably for the step up in competition in the next round of qualification.
Asked by The National post-match for his evaluation of the team's progress made since his appointment last July, Bento said: “They need to understand the game in a different way. We shouldn’t not have in consideration our weakness and don’t think we are better than we really are.
"This is a bad step. We should realise how good we are and how weak we are, at the same time, and be humble.”
The draw for the third round of Asian qualifying was made at the Asian Football Confederation's headquarters in Malaysia on Thursday.
The 18 teams were divided into three groups, with eight confirmed berths and a possible additional spot via a play-off available for Asia.
Led by Tottenham striker Son Heung-min, South Korea will be favourites to reach an 11th consecutive World Cup after being handed a favourable group alongside Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine and Kuwait in Group B.
Saudi Arabia were given arguably the hardest draw in Group C.
The kingdom, the sole bidder for the 2030 World Cup, will take on fellow Asian heavyweights Japan and Australia. Bahrain, China and Indonesia comprise the remainder of the group.
Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia and Palestine are making their debuts at this stage of the Asian qualifiers.
The top two finishers from the three groups will confirm their places at the 2026 World Cup 2026 while the third- and fourth-placed teams from each group – six in total – will progress to the Asian Qualifiers – Road to 26 Playoff, to be contested in two groups of three teams in a single round-robin format, with both group winners qualifying for the global showpiece.
The two second-placed finishers from the play-off will face off in a home-and-away tie to earn the right to reach the Intercontinental play-off and vie for the final available berth.
The third round of Asian qualifiers begins on September 5 with the final round of matches scheduled for June 10, 2025.
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes. Portland is a 260 km drive from Seattle and Emirates offers codeshare flights to Portland with its partner Alaska Airlines.
The car
Hertz (www.hertz.ae) offers compact car rental from about $300 per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.
Parks and accommodation
For information on Crater Lake National Park, visit www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm . Because of the altitude, large parts of the park are closed in winter due to snow. While the park’s summer season is May 22-October 31, typically, the full loop of the Rim Drive is only possible from late July until the end of October. Entry costs $25 per car for a day. For accommodation, see www.travelcraterlake.com. For information on Umpqua Hot Springs, see www.fs.usda.gov and https://soakoregon.com/umpqua-hot-springs/. For Bend, see https://www.visitbend.com/.
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
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Uniqlo @uniqlo
Warby Parker @warbyparker
Zara @zara
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
Brolliology: A History of the Umbrella in Life and Literature
By Marion Rankine
Melville House
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Mobile phone packages comparison
Empty Words
By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
Bharat
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
MATCH INFO
Burnley 0
Man City 3
Raheem Sterling 35', 49'
Ferran Torres 65'
SCORES
Multiply Titans 81-2 in 12.1 overs
(Tony de Zorzi, 34)
bt Auckland Aces 80 all out in 16 overs
(Shawn von Borg 4-15, Alfred Mothoa 2-11, Tshepo Moreki 2-16).
The bio:
Favourite holiday destination: I really enjoyed Sri Lanka and Vietnam but my dream destination is the Maldives.
Favourite food: My mum’s Chinese cooking.
Favourite film: Robocop, followed by The Terminator.
Hobbies: Off-roading, scuba diving, playing squash and going to the gym.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
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A three-storey penthouse at Chelsea Waterfront bought for £22 million.
Steel company Evraz drops more than 10 per cent in trading after UK officials said it was potentially supplying the Russian military.
Sale of Chelsea Football Club is now impossible.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
