Qatar’s squad for the 2026 World Cup once again highlights the country’s diverse football landscape. While many members of the national team were born in Qatar, several players on the roster were born abroad before eventually representing the Gulf nation on the international stage.
The trend has become a familiar part of Qatar’s football project over the past decade, with the national team drawing talent from a variety of backgrounds while building a competitive squad capable of competing at the highest level.
As a result, Qatar arrive at the 2026 World Cup with one of the most internationally diverse rosters in the tournament. They want to bounce back after a disappointing performance at home in 2022.
How many Qatar players were born outside the country?
A total of 13 players in Qatar’s 26-man World Cup squad were born outside the country. The group represents a wide range of backgrounds spanning Europe, Africa, and South America.
Those players are Meshaal Barsham (Sudan), Pedro Miguel (Portugal), Lucas Mendes (Brazil), Issa Laye (Senegal), Boualem Khoukhi (Algeria), Karim Boudiaf (France), Ahmed Fathy (Egypt), Assim Madibo (Sudan), Ahmed Alaaeldin (Egypt), Edmilson Junior (Belgium), Mohammed Muntari (Ghana), Yusuf Abdurisag (Somalia), Almoez Ali (Sudan), and Mohamed Manai (Tunisia).
Which countries are represented among Qatar’s foreign-born players?
Sudan has the strongest representation among Qatar’s foreign-born players, with Meshaal Barsham, Assim Madibo, and Almoez Ali all born there. Egypt contributed Ahmed Fathy and Ahmed Alaaeldin, while the remaining foreign-born players come from Portugal, Brazil, Senegal, Algeria, France, Belgium, Ghana, Somalia, and Tunisia. The diversity of origins reflects the multinational character of the roster.
Which Qatar World Cup players were born in Qatar?
The 12 players born in Qatar who made the country’s 2026 World Cup squad are Mahmoud Abunada, Salah Zakaria, Jassem Gaber, Ayoub Aloui, Homam Ahmed, Sultan Al-Brake, Al-Hashmi Al-Hussain, Abdulaziz Hatem, Ahmed Al Ganehi, Hassan Al-Haydos, Akram Afif, and Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid.
