‘We believe in our chances’: Al Haydos ready for one more World Cup m…

Doha, Qatar: Hassan Al Haydos has experienced almost everything in Qatari football. He has lifted two AFC Asian Cup trophies as captain, become the country’s most capped player, played at a home FIFA World Cup and built a national team career spanning nearly two decades. newsindata.org

Yet as Qatar prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the veteran forward still speaks with the same hunger that marked the beginning of his journey.

“We believe in our chances in this tournament,” Al Haydos said ahead of Qatar’s second consecutive World Cup appearance.

For a player who made his senior national team debut against Bahrain in a World Cup qualifier in 2008 and has since amassed 184 international appearances, the belief comes from experience.

In North America, Qatar are carrying different expectations from those of four years ago. Having made their World Cup debut as hosts in 2022, Al Annabi qualified this time through the competitive route and are targeting a place in the Round of 32.

The inaugural 48-team tournament features 12 groups, with the top two teams and the eight best third-placed sides advancing to the knockout stage.

Tough group test

Drawn alongside Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Group B, Qatar know the challenge ahead.

“From my perspective, this group isn’t easy. It’s a tough group,” Al Haydos said.

“Switzerland are one of the strongest teams in Europe or the world. Canada will be playing at home in front of their fans, and they’re a good, strong team with outstanding players.

“So, I expect the group to be difficult. Our main focus right now is on the first match, how to be ready for it and how to perform well and get a positive result.”

Retirement and return

The words carry added weight coming from a player who briefly believed his international career had reached its conclusion.

After leading Qatar to 2019 and 2023 Asian Cup titles, Al Haydos announced his retirement from international football in March 2024. It appeared to be the end of an era for one of the country’s most influential players. But the story was not over.

When Julen Lopetegui took charge and Qatar’s World Cup qualification campaign entered a crucial phase, the Spanish coach turned to the experienced forward. Al Haydos answered the call and reversed his retirement.

“The decision to stop playing wasn’t easy for me, and neither was the decision to return,” he said.

“But at that time, I felt that the team needed me to be present in the locker room.”

Al Haydos’ value is not limited to his leadership. The veteran forward has delivered some of Qatar’s most memorable goals over the years, including several spectacular strikes from distance.

With younger players pushing through the ranks, Al Haydos has become one of the key voices inside the squad, helping pass on lessons gathered from years of international football.

“As a player, I expect the difference will be that I will have more experience or prior knowledge,” he said.

The 35-year-old believes success at the highest level is built long before kick-off.

“Sport has many qualities that not just Hassan must follow. I think the whole team must follow them in the coming period,” he said.

“The thing that the young player or the team in general must understand is that you always have a hunger for results, for titles.

“All of these things aren’t just words. You can reflect them in your daily behaviour, how you train, how you eat, how you sleep.”

Since making his debut for Qatar’s Olympic team in 2007, Al Haydos has been part of some of the most successful chapters in the country’s football history. Alongside fellow senior figures such as Pedro Miguel and Boualem Khoukhi, he remains an important link between generations as Qatar seek to make a greater impact on football’s biggest stage.

Fans at the heart

For all his achievements, however, Al Haydos still speaks most passionately about the supporters.

“In my opinion, football without fans isn’t as enjoyable or special,” he said.

“The fans are always there to support us as players.”

Reflecting on his journey, he described representing Qatar as the fulfilment of a childhood dream.

“When I was young, it was a dream of mine to represent the national team,” he said.

“I’m lucky to have played for the national team for so many years and learned so much from the coaches and the groups I played with.

“But behind all of this, there’s a lot of hard work, fatigue, being away from home and many other things behind the scenes.”

Doha: Qatar successfully hosted the decisive AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 qualifier between Lebanon and Yemen at Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha, with Yemen claiming a 2-0 victory to secure their place in the continental championship.

Originally scheduled to be hosted in Beirut, the final decisive qualifier for the AFC Asian Cup concluded on neutral soil in Qatar, jointly delivered by the Local Organising Committee for Football Events (LOC) and the Lebanese Football Association (LFA).

Fans from across Qatar and the region attended the match, which saw Yemen claim the final spot in Group E of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027, joining South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.

Yemen’s historic victory marks their return to the continental championship eight years after their historic debut at the 2019 edition.

The 19th edition of the AFC Asian Cup is set to take place in Saudi Arabia from 7 January to 5 February 2027.

The Lebanon v Yemen qualifier is the latest in a series of high-profile matches hosted in Qatar, reaffirming the country’s position as a trusted host for international sporting events.

With a capacity of 13,000, Grand Hamad Stadium has a distinguished record of staging FIFA World Cup qualification matches and served as the official base camp for the Brazil national football team during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

The venue continues to serve as home ground of local club Al-Arabi SC.

New York: FIFA has banned fans from bringing refillable water bottles into World Cup venues in a last-minute policy change that will force thirsty supporters to pay for bottled water, The Athletic reported on Wednesday.

As recently as last month, FIFA's official stadium code of conduct included a clause which read: "For the avoidance of doubt, empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles, up to (1 liter in) capacity, may be brought into the Stadium."

However The Athletic reported on Wednesday that those guidelines had now been tweaked to explicitly ban refillable bottles.

"For the avoidance of doubt, reusable water bottles may not be brought into the stadium," an updated stadium code of conduct read.

In a statement to AFP, a FIFA spokesperson said the rule change was taken on safety grounds, noting that several World Cup venues already barred the use of refillable water bottles.

"FIFA is committed to protecting the health and safety of all players, referees, fans, volunteers, and staff," the statement read.

"FIFA made the decision to prohibit bottles to prevent risk and injury to players and attendees.

"Outside bottles are already prohibited at several of these venues for safety considerations, and FIFA is applying this consideration across its tournament stadiums."

The statement added that misting stations, fans, hydration stations and cooling tents would be available in "the stadium footprint".

It added that bottled water inside the venue would be sold at prices which "remain consistent with other events held at each stadium."

The rule change comes despite experts warning fans could face health risks from extreme heat at open-air venues during the World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

A report published by the World Weather Attribution research group last month estimated that 26 of 104 games at the World Cup are likely to be played in conditions where the Wet Bulb Global Temperature (WBGT) exceeds 26 degrees.

WBGT is a measure of heat stress on the human body which combines temperature, humidity, wind and sunlight.

At last year's FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, where fans complained of searing temperatures, supporters were also barred from bringing water bottles into venues.