FIFA World Cup 2026 Qatar: Schedule, How to Watch, History & Record

Qatar returns to the FIFA World Cup stage in 2026. This time they earned their spot the hard way. The team beat the United Arab Emirates 2-1 last October to qualify through competition rather than hosting rights.

The tournament takes place across three North American countries from June 11 to July 19, 2026. FIFA expanded the field from 32 to 48 teams this year. Qatar sits in Group B with Canada, Switzerland and a European team still to be decided in March.

Fans in Qatar face challenging viewing times. All three group matches happen on North America’s west coast. That means late nights and early mornings for anyone watching from home.

Qatar World Cup 2026 Schedule (Local Time)

Qatar plays all Group B matches on the Pacific coast. Times below show Arabia Standard Time (Qatar local time).

DATE	OPPONENT	TIME (Qatar)	VENUE
Saturday, June 13	Switzerland	1:00 AM (June 14)	Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Thursday, June 18	Canada	5:00 AM (June 19)	BC Place, Vancouver, Canada
Wednesday, June 24	UEFA Playoff Winner	2:00 AM (June 25)	Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington

The UEFA Playoff A determines the fourth Group B team. Italy, Wales, Bosnia-Herzegovina or Northern Ireland will fill that spot after playoff matches in March 2026.

How to Watch the World Cup 2026 in Qatar

beIN Sports owns exclusive rights to broadcast all 104 tournament matches across Qatar and the Middle East. The network provides coverage in Arabic and English. Viewers switch languages through their TV audio settings.

beIN Sports brings in former international players for expert analysis. They run pre-match and post-match shows throughout the tournament. Your existing cable or satellite beIN Sports package includes World Cup coverage at no extra cost.

Live Streaming Options for Qatar Fans

The beIN CONNECT app streams every World Cup match to mobile devices. Download it from the App Store or Google Play. The app works on smartphones, tablets and computers.

You need a beIN Sports subscription to access the app. High-speed internet provides the best streaming quality. Mobile data charges apply when you stream away from WiFi. The app also saves match replays and highlights for viewing later.

How to Listen to the World Cup 2026 in Qatar

beIN Sports Radio broadcasts all matches with Arabic commentary. Find it on traditional FM/AM radio frequencies or through the beIN Sports app. Local radio stations in Qatar will also carry live coverage and analysis.

Radio works well when you cannot watch on a screen. Perfect for driving or situations where television viewing is not possible.

Qatar World Cup History & Record

Qatar has appeared in two World Cups. The 2022 tournament at home and the upcoming 2026 edition.

2022 FIFA World Cup Performance

The home tournament brought disappointment. Qatar lost all three group stage matches. They scored one goal and conceded seven. Ecuador won the opener 2-0. Senegal beat them 3-1 in the second match. Mohammed Muntari scored Qatar’s first World Cup goal in that game. The Netherlands completed the group stage with a 2-0 victory.

Qatar became the first host nation to lose their opening match. They were also the first host eliminated after just two games and the first to finish with zero points.

2026 World Cup Qualification

This qualification tells a better story. Qatar went through Asia’s standard qualifying process. They topped Group A in the fourth-round playoffs. The October 14, 2025 victory over UAE in Doha secured their place. This qualification came through merit rather than automatic hosting rights.

Continental Success

Qatar dominates Asian football. The team won back-to-back AFC Asian Cup titles in 2019 and 2023. The 2019 triumph was remarkable. Qatar beat Japan 3-1 in the final and conceded only one goal throughout the entire tournament.

The Gulf Cup also features three Qatar victories in 1992, 2004 and 2014. The 2014 win came on Saudi Arabia’s home ground. Qatar’s youth teams have excelled too. The U-20 squad reached the 1981 World Cup final. They were the first Asian team to make a FIFA tournament final. The Olympic team won gold at the 2006 Asian Games.

FIFA currently ranks Qatar 51st in the world.

Qatar World Cup Predictions and Analysis

Group B presents serious challenges. Switzerland ranks 17th globally and reached the knockout rounds in four of their last five World Cups. Canada plays at home as tournament co-hosts. The European playoff winner will likely be Italy with their four World Cup titles.

Most experts predict Qatar will finish fourth in Group B. NBC Sports and ESPN both place them last. Betting markets give Qatar +240 odds to advance. That means a $100 bet would win $240 if they somehow reach the knockout stage.

Qatar has some positives. Two consecutive Asian Cup championships prove they can win important matches. The 2022 World Cup provided valuable experience. The team has played together for years. The Aspire Academy continues developing talented players.

The challenges outnumber the advantages. All matches take place far from home without crowd support. Time zones create difficulties for everyone. Most Qatar players compete domestically while facing opponents from top European leagues.

The expanded 48-team format helps slightly. The top two teams from each group advance automatically. The eight best third-place teams also progress to the Round of 32. This creates more advancement opportunities than the previous 32-team setup.

Qatar needs at least one win and one draw for realistic advancement hopes. Their main goal is earning the first World Cup points and showing improvement from 2022.

Qatar FIFA World Cup 2026 FAQs

Qatar enters the 2026 World Cup with back-to-back Asian Cup titles and earned qualification. Fans in Qatar can watch every match on beIN Sports despite late-night kickoff times.

The tournament gives Qatar their chance to earn first World Cup points and prove they belong on the world stage.