Can UAE still qualify for 2026 World Cup after losing to Qatar?

National team miss out on automatic qualification following 2-1 defeat in Doha

UAE's World Cup hopes suffered a big blow as they were beaten 2-0 by Qatar at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on October 14, 2025. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Dejected UAE defender Kouame Autonne after the match. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UAE coach Cosmin Olaroiu and Marcus Meloni after the match. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Tarek Salman of Qatar is sent off late in the game. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UAE's Sultan Adil after a missed opportunity. AFP

Qatar's Boualem Khoukhi, left, celebrates after scoring their first goal. AP

Dejected UAE players after the first Qatar goal. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Boualem Khoukhi celebrates after scoring for Qatar. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Boualem Khoukhi heads home to put Qatar 1-0 up. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UAE goalkeeper Khalid Essa during the first half. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UAE's Marcus Meloni and Mohammad Naceur Al Mannai of Qatar battle for the ball. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Qatar4's Mohammad Naceur Al Mannai after a chance goes begging. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UAE manager Cosmin Olaroiu during the game against Qatar. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Qatar's Mohammad Al Mannai is shown a yellow card by referee Ilgiz Tantashev. Reuters

Qatar manager Julian Lopetegui is helped to his feet after being hit in the head by the ball. AFP

The UAE team starting XI before the against Qatar. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UAE players line up during the national anthems before the match. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UAE fans before the game against Qatar. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UAE fans before the game against Qatar. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UAE fans outside the National Jassim Bin Hamed Stadium in Doha. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UAE supporters at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha. AFP

UAE fans in the National Jassim Bin Hamed Stadium in Doha. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UAE fan outside the National Jassim Bin Hamed Stadium in Doha. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The UAE suffered a blow to their hopes of automatically qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday with a 2-1 defeat to Qatar.

The Emirates had only needed to avoid defeat in Doha to seal their place as one of the 48 teams headed to North America next year.

Second-half goals by Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium sent the hosts through to a second successive appearance at the finals.

UAE's World Cup hopes suffer blow after tense Qatar defeat

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Both Qatari goals led to unsavoury scenes from the away supporters, with security and police forcibly removing several UAE fans who entered the field of play in protest.

But all is not lost for the UAE national team.

Can UAE still qualify for World Cup 2026?

The UAE finished second in the mini-team Group A behind Qatar, who topped the table with four points, but ahead of Oman thanks to Saturday's 2-1 win over their Gulf neighbours.

As a result, the UAE will now enter a convoluted play-off process involving teams from other continental federations next month.

Who will UAE play next?

UAE face Iraq, who finished second in Group B behind Saudi Arabia following a 0-0 draw on Tuesday, in a two-legged play-off next month.

UAE will play the first match at home on November 13 before the return leg five days later in Iraq.

The winner over the two legs will then advance to an inter-confederation play-off.

Inter-confederation play-offs

Assuming the UAE can overcome Iraq, they will join one team each from Africa, Oceania and South America and two from Concacaf in the inter-confederation play-offs next March.

Teams will be ranked according to Fifa, with the four lowest-ranked teams playing in two single-elimination matches. The winners will meet the two highest-ranked teams in another set of single-elimination games, with the winners qualifying for the global finals in the US, Canada and Mexico.

Have the UAE ever qualified for a World Cup?

Yes, the UAE's lone appearance at a World Cup was at Italia '90. The Emirates exited at the group stage after defeats to eventual champions West Germany, Yugoslavia and Colombia.