Kuala lumpur: Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa congratulated the Saudi and Qatari national teams on qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be held next year in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Shaikh Salman highlighted the achievement as a testament to the strong presence of Saudi and Qatari football within Asia.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Shaikh Salman remarked that the qualification of both teams reflects the distinguished status of Saudi and Qatari football within the Asian arena. He noted that these achievements are the result of sustained efforts by the Saudi and Qatari football federations in establishing solid foundations, which facilitated their path to the world’s most prestigious football tournament.
Shaikh Salman emphasized that this success stems from the dedication and hard work of the players, technical staff, and administrative teams throughout the qualifiers. He expressed confidence that both national teams will represent the Asian continent honorably at the World Cup, alongside the other qualified Asian teams.
He underscored the importance of thorough preparation for the upcoming global competition to ensure strong performances that reflect the growing stature of Asian football and reinforce its previous achievements on the world stage.
Additionally, Shaikh Salman extended his congratulations to the Iraqi and UAE national teams for advancing to the knockout stage of the Asian play-offs. He praised their technical performances during the qualifiers and wished them success in their pursuit of World Cup qualification.