Ammon News - 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 said the qualification of both teams reflects the distinguished status of Saudi and Qatari football in Asia. He noted that the achievements crown the sustained efforts of the Saudi and Qatari football federations in building solid foundations that paved the way for their qualification to the world’s most prestigious football tournament.

He stressed that this success is the result of the dedication and hard work of the players, technical staff, and administrative teams throughout the qualifiers.

The AFC president expressed confidence that both national teams will represent the Asian continent honorably at the World Cup, alongside the other qualified Asian teams.

Shaikh Salman stressed 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.

He further congratulated the Iraqi and UAE national teams for advancing to the knockout stage of the Asian play-offs, praising their technical performances during the qualifiers and wishing them success in their pursuit of World Cup qualification.