DOHA – Asian Champions, Qatar football team will lock horns against hosts Indian in the second round match of the co-qualifiers for 2026 World Cup and 2027 AFC Cup will be held at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on Tuesday.
Qatar will head into the game brimming with confidence after thrashing Afghanistan 8-1 in their FIFA World Cup 2026 AFC Qualifiers opener at the Khalifa International Stadium.
Currently ranked 61st in the FIFA rankings, Qatar rode on four goals from striker Almoez Ali and strikes from Hassan Al-Haydos, Mostafa Tarek Meshaal, Ahmed Alaaeldin and Tameem Al-Abdullah to secure a dominant victory over Afghanistan.
Having netted eight goals, Qatar are placed on top of the Group A standings with three points and a better goal difference than India.
Under head coach Igor Stimac, India started their FIFA World Cup 2026 AFC qualifying campaign with an impressive 1-0 win over hosts Kuwait at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium on Thursday, November 16.
Star forward Manvir Singh scored the match-winning goal in the 75th minute to help India register their first win in the FIFA World Cup qualifier overseas in 22 years.
The top two teams from the group will qualify for the third qualifying round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 to be held in three North American countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. They will also earn a direct entry in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 to be held in Saudi Arabia.