Qatar manager Julen Lopetegui has trimmed his provisional squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup from 34 to 28 players.
The most notable omissions were veteran defenders Tarek Salman and Bassam Al-Rawi. The experienced centre-backs were part of Qatar’s AFC Asian Cup-winning squads in 2019 and 2023.
Left winger Mohammed Waad, another member of the 2023 Asian Cup-winning squad, has also been left out.
Qatar SC’s duo Sebastian Soria and Niall Mason were also excluded. Soria, 42, was a surprise call-up in the first place, having not been part of a Qatar squad at a major tournament since the 2011 Asian Cup, while Mason, 29, enjoyed a fine season with his club but has yet to make a senior appearance for Qatar.
The trimmed list also did not include Al Duhail’s 22-year-old winger Mubarak Shanan who only made a couple of appearances for the team in the 2025 Gulf Cup.
Al Sailiya goalkeeper Fahad Younis, who was called up to the team on June 18, was also left out.
Two more players will be removed from the list when the Spanish manager announce his final 26-man list.
The team travelled to Dublin on Tuesday were they will face the Republic of Ireland in a friendly on Thursday, before leaving a couple of days later to Santa Barbara where they will set up their World Cup training camp.
The Asian champions will play another friendly on June 6 in Los Angeles against El Salvador.
They will then kick off their World Cup campaign in Santa Clara against Switzerland on June 16.
The Squad
Goalkeepers
Meshaal Barsham (Al-Sadd)
Salah Zakaria (Al-Duhail)
Mahmoud Abu Nada (Al Rayyan)
Shehab El Lethy (Al Shahania)
Defenders
Boualem Khoukhi (Al-Sadd)
Pedro Miguel (Al Sadd)
Sultan Al-Brake (Al-Duhail)
Homam Ahmed (Cultural Leonesa, ESP)
Al Hashmi Al Hussein (Al Arabi)
Lucas Mendes (Al-Wakrah)
Ayoub Al Alawi (Al Gharafa)
Issa Laye (Al Arabi)
Rayan Al Ali (Al Gharafa)
Central Midfielders
Abdulaziz Hatem (Al-Rayyan)
Karim Boudiaf (Al Duhail)
Assim Madibo (Al Wakrah)
Ahmed Fatehi (Al-Arabi)
Jassem Gaber (Al-Arabi)
Attacking Midfielders/Wingers
Tahsin Mohamed Jamshid (Al Duhail)
Mohamed Manai (Al Shamal)
Akram Afif (Al-Sadd)
Hassan Al Haydos (Al Sadd)
Yusuf Abdurisag (Al-Wakrah)
Ahmed Al Ganehi (Al-Gharafa)
Edmilson Junior (Al-Duhail)
Strikers
Al Moez Ali (Al-Duhail)
Mohammed Muntari (Al-Gharafa)
Ahmed Alaaeldin (Al Rayyan
