The UAE missed out on the World Cup after three possible routes to qualification slipped through their grasp.
First, Iran and Uzbekistan beat them to the automatic qualification spots via the third round of Asian qualifying group phase.
Then Qatar took their place in a three-team play-off that also involved Oman.
UAE finished second in that mini-group, meaning they moved on to face Iraq, who finally ended their hopes in a last-chase play-off at the end of last year.
Even though the national team will be absent from the 2026 finals, 13 players who ply their trade across eight club sides in the Emirates will be involved.
Here are some of the UAE-based players who could make an impact on the big stage.
Soufiane Rahimi (Morocco)
The Moroccan forward has been one of the best value buys in the history of professional football in the UAE.
The $3 million Al Ain paid Raja Casablanca to take Rahimi from his boyhood club in 2021 has been paid back many times over.
He has arguably been the outstanding player in UAE football in the time since his arrival.
He was the player of the tournament when Al Ain won Asia’s Champions League in 2024, and was key to their domestic double last season, capping it by scoring twice in the President’s Cup final.
He might not start in a Morocco side who have big ambitions for the World Cup, but will surely play a role from the bench.
Kaku (Paraguay)
The left-footed Paraguay playmaker might have mixed feelings about heading back to the United States for the World Cup.
Kaku scored 13 goals and had 25 assists in 72 games in a productive spell for New York Red Bulls up until 2020.
His subsequent move to Al Taawoun in Saudi Arabia, though, was the subject of a dispute which the Court of Arbitration for Sport ultimately had to rule on.
He found his way to Al Ain, and has been central to their success in recent seasons. He scored four league goals and made a vital contribution to the President’s Cup hammering of Al Jazira as they did the double this season.
Ramy Rabia (Egypt)
After becoming champions of Asia in 2024, Al Ain had a deeply troubled season in which they changed manager multiple times.
They were then humbled in the Club World Cup in the United States last summer, suffering thrashings at the hands of Juventus and Manchester City.
The pilot edition of that tournament did, though, mark the arrival of a figure who has become crucial for them in the time since.
Ramy Rabia debuted for Al Ain in that tournament. He went on to become one of the rocks on which they built their double win.
He arrived in the UAE after building a fine body of work in the heart of the defence of Cairo giants Al Ahly. He has played more than 40 times for Egypt.
Saeed Ezatolahi (Iran)
The most famous Iranian playing in the UAE will be conspicuous by his absence from the World Cup.
Sardar Azmoun, their influential striker, was jettisoned from the national team after sharing pictures of him with leaders of the UAE shortly after the onset of the Iran conflict.
His clubmate at Shabab Al Ahli, Ezatolahi, has avoided any such controversy. The towering central midfielder is a likely starter for Team Melli, whom he has represented more than 80 times.
Saman Ghoddos (Iran)
Born in Malmo, the winger initially started his international career with two friendly matches for Sweden – scoring in one of them – before switching allegiance to Iran. His parents are from Ahvaz in the west of that country.
He played nearly 100 times for London side Brentford, and even scored a Premier League goal of the month in 2023.
His career took an unusual diversion from then. After his contract ended with Brentford, he ended up at Ittihad Kalba on the UAE’s east coast, scoring five goals to help them avoid relegation this season.
Simon Banza (DR Congo)
According to the football data website transfermarkt.com, Banza is the most valuable player in UAE football, with a market value of €10 million.
His returns for Al Jazira have not been quite as spectacular as that would suggest. He scored nine goals in the UAE Pro League this season as they finished fourth, and they were soundly beaten by Al Ain in the President’s Cup final.
Making an impression on the World Cup will be tough, given Congo have been drawn in a group with Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan.
Mohanad Ali (Iraq)
A tricky forward who will be one of Iraq’s creative forces at the World Cup, Ali has a couple of reasons to think fondly of the UAE.
Firstly, they provided the opposition when he made his international debut in 2017.
And secondly, he is employed in the country, although his memories of the club game are not all happy ones.
He scored six goals for Dibba this season, but they finished last in the UAE Pro League and were relegated.
