DOHA: Qatar will play their final friendly match before the 2026 FIFA World Cup when they take on El Salvador on today at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
The fixture represents the last opportunity for head coach Julen Lopetegui to assess his squad before the tournament gets under way in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The Asian champions are currently based in Santa Barbara, California, where they are completing their final training camp ahead of the World Cup. Qatar arrive after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Republic of Ireland in Dublin on May 28.
Saturday’s encounter is expected to help Lopetegui settle on the core of his starting line-up before Qatar begin their Group B campaign against Switzerland in San Francisco on June 13 .
Qatar will then travel to Vancouver to face hosts Canada on June 18 before concluding the group stage against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Seattle on June 24.
Lopetegui has named a 26-man squad for the tournament, featuring established figures including Akram Afif, Almoez Ali, Hassan Al Haydos and Karim Boudiaf. The Spanish coach has also introduced several new faces, with 12 players set to make their World Cup debut.
