(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Qatar sealed their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a tense 2-1 victory over the United Arab Emirates in the Asian qualifying playoffs at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Tuesday night.

Needing a win to progress, Julen Lopetegui's side rose to the occasion with goals from Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel, while Sultan Adil's late strike for the UAE set up a frantic finish.

Tarek Salman was sent off in the 89th minute after a VAR review for a studs-up tackle, but Qatar held firm through 15 minutes of stoppage time to claim a famous victory in front of a packed house at the home of Al Sadd.

The 2022 World Cup hosts, who did not make it out of the group stage three years ago in their first ever appearance at the tournament, were deserving winners on the night.

An emotional Akram Afif, who unlocked the UAE defence on both occasions with sublime crosses, was overjoyed after the memorable victory.“It's a great achievement to qualify for the World Cup. We gave our best and got the result we wanted. The credit goes to our incredible fans, who turned up in large numbers and motivated us in this crucial match,” he said.

Veteran forward Hassan al-Haydos echoed the sentiment, saying:“This is a moment we've dreamed of for a long time. It was the destiny of this generation to earn a place at the World Cup. This group is capable of achieving great things.”

Captain Khoukhi said:“It's time to celebrate, and I congratulate all Qataris on this historic achievement. We really worked hard for this win - we deserved this victory.”

Both sides began cautiously, aware of the high stakes - a draw would have been enough for the visitors to qualify. Qatar dominated the early exchanges, with Afif pulling the strings in attack. Mohammad al-Mannai and Almoez Ali both went close before Nicolas Gimenez tested goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada from distance at the other end.

After a goalless first half, Qatar broke through almost immediately after the restart. The two-time Asian Player of the Year Afif delivered a trademark curling cross from the left, and Khoukhi rose highest to head home in the 46th minute, sending the home crowd into raptures.

Qatar doubled their lead in the 74th minute when Miguel nodded in another pinpoint Afif delivery from a set piece. The UAE threw everything forward in the closing stages, and Adil pulled one back deep into stoppage time, but Abunada's late saves preserved the win amid rising tension.

The result confirmed Qatar's direct qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico. The UAE will now enter a two-legged playoff against the Group B runners-up in November, with the winner advancing to an intercontinental playoff for one final chance to reach the finals.

Qatar became the seventh Asian side to qualify for the global showpiece, joining Uzbekistan, Jordan, Iran, South Korea, Japan and Australia.2026 FIFA World Cup Qatar vs UAE

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