WCQ 2026: Iran vs Qatar [Preview]

Sportsmole.co.uk – DUBAI, Aiming to consolidate their top-two standing in Group A, unbeaten Iran will welcome an inconsistent Qatar side to Rashid Stadium for an AFC World Cup qualifier on Tuesday night.

Team Melli played out a share of the spoils with section leaders Uzbekistan on Thursday night, whilst the Maroons picked up a much-needed maximum over pointless Kyrgyzstan.

After exiting the 2022 World Cup in Qatar at the group stage at the hands of Gareth Southgate’s England and USA, Iran are on a mission to qualify for football’s biggest tournament once again in 2026, with Tuesday’s hosts enjoying a productive start to the third round of AFC action.

Securing back-to-back 1-0 successes over bottom side Kyrgyzstan and United Arab Emirates during the September international window, the theme of cagey affairs continued for Team Melli on Thursday night, when they were forced to share the points with Group A pacesetters Uzbekistan at Milliy Stadion in Tashkent.

Following the collection of seven points from their opening three fixtures in the third round of qualifying, Iran are occupying second position in the six-team section, with the top two of Group A after 10 matches earning an automatic place at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Securing a high-profile move to Serie A champions Inter Milan during the summer transfer window, Mehdi Taremi is the most recognisable face within the Team Melli ranks alongside fellow attacker Sardar Azmoun, who was on loan at Roma last term whilst his former parent club Bayer Leverkusen lifted the Bundesliga title as invincibles.

After hosting football’s greatest event in the winter of 2022, Qatar are on the hunt for back-to-back World Cup appearances, but Tuesday’s visitors have made an inconsistent start to life in Group A during the third round of AFC qualification.

Following a winless September window which included clashes with the United Arab Emirates and North Korea, the Maroons recorded their maiden victory of the section on Thursday night, when goals from Almoez Ali and Ibrahim Al-Hassan helped defeat bottom side Kyrgyzstan 3-1 at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha.

Qatar will be striving for a vast improvement on their most recent away match in this round of qualifying on September 10, when the 2022 World Cup hosts could only manage a share of the spoils on the road versus winless North Korea.

After collecting a steady tally of four points from their first three fixtures in Group A, Tintin Marquez’s troops are occupying fourth place in the section standings, three points behind second-placed Iran who lie in the lowest of the automatic spots for the World Cup.

Team News:

Receiving his marching orders in Uzbekistan on Thursday night, Saleh Hardani will be suspended as Iran host Qatar, meaning that the hosts will require a new face at right-back.

Mohammad Hazbavi is the most likely candidate for the role in this one, despite the 21-year-old naturally operating as centre-back.

After firing a blank versus Uzbekistan, Team Melli could introduce the likes of Mehdi Ghayedi and Shahriar Moghanlou into the XI to freshen up the attack.

A talismanic figure for Qatar, 27-year-old Akram Afif will look to produce another moment of magic for the visitors to Uzbekistan on Tuesday evening.

The Maroons are set to continue with an experienced centre-back pairing of Boualem Khoukhi and Lucas Mendes ahead of goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham.

Iran possible starting lineup:
Beiranvand; Hazbavi, Khalilzadeh, Nemati, Mohammadi; Mohebi, Ezatolahi; Jahanbakhsh, Ghoddos, Azmoun; Taremi

Qatar possible starting lineup:
Barsham; Mohammad, Khoukhi, Mendes, Fadlalla; Hatem, Fathi, Moustafa, Afif, Junior; Ali

Prediction: Iran 1-0 Qatar

Following a clean sheet in Uzbekistan, Iran should be confident of recording a third win of their Group A campaign on Tuesday night.

Qatar were too good for Kyrgyzstan but face a much sterner test at Rashid Stadium, one which we feel that the Maroons will narrowly fail.