Qatar links into Euro World Cup qualifying for friendlies

Posted December 08, 2020 6:00 am

By ROB HARRIS

Qatar will gain more match experience ahead of hosting the 2022 World Cup by effectively joining the qualifying group featuring European champion Portugal to play friendlies.

The arrangement provides Qatar with 10 friendlies in Europe, with the results not counting in Group A as the Asian champions qualify as World Cup hosts.

The other opponents in Group A are Serbia, Ireland, Luxembourg and Azerbaijan.

'œAs Qatar has already qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup as hosts, UEFA has invited them to join with the teams of Group A to help their squad prepare for the tournament,'ť the European governing body said in a statement on Tuesday.

Qatar will play all the matches in Europe, starting on March 24 against Luxembourg. Qatar is joining the only five-team qualifying group not featuring the UEFA Nations League finalists, while the other groups in Europe contain six sides.

The Qataris are also set to play in both regional tournaments covering the Americas next year.

They will first contest the Copa AmÃ©rica from June 11-July 10 as part of a group with co-host Colombia as well as Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.

Then, a Qatari team will be in the United States for the July 10-Aug. 1 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Qatar won its first Asian Cup title in 2019 by beating Japan in the final and is No. 59 in the FIFA world rankings.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

FILE - This Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019 file photo shows the Al Bayt Stadium, one of the 2022 World Cup stadiums, in Al Khor, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Doha, Qatar. The Al Bayt 60,000 seats stadium with Qatari tent shaped facade has a retractable roof. FIFA on Monday Dec. 7, 2020, held the draw to determine the European qualifying groups for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with 13 slots at the tournament available for teams from the continent. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File) The Associated Press

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers MLS Pro Sports Soccer Sports Sports Leagues Sports Types

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.