Tuesday 15 / July / 2025
MUSCAT: The Oman Football Association (OFA) on Tuesday appointed the highly experienced Portuguese Carlos Queiroz as the new head coach of the national football team.
The strategic decision comes ahead of the AFC fourth and final round of qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the draw scheduled in Kuala Lumpur for July 17. Oman will compete in a high-stakes tournament hosted by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, vying for a place at football’s most prestigious event.
Queiroz boasts a distinguished international coaching career, having managed top national teams including Portugal, Iran, South Africa, Colombia, Egypt, and Qatar. He is famed for leading Iran to three consecutive FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018, and 2022) and for his two spells as assistant coach at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson. He was also the coach of Spanish giants Real Madrid from 2003-2004.
Queiroz’s wealth of tactical expertise and experience will be pivotal as Oman competes against Asia’s elite for a historic World Cup berth.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed that Saudi Arabia and Qatar will jointly host the fourth round of Asia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in October 2025. This stage features six teams that finished third and fourth in their respective third-round groups.
The teams drawn on July 17 will be split into two groups of three nations each.
Oman will join Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates in this final qualifying phase.
Matches will be played over three matchdays, from October 8 to 14, in a centralised format.
The winners of each group will earn direct qualification to the newly expanded 48-team World Cup finals.
Meanwhile, the runners-up from each group will face off in a playoff scheduled for November. The victor of that playoff will advance to an intercontinental playoff tournament in March 2026, with the chance to claim one of the last two World Cup spots available.
The AFC’s eight World Cup slots (expanded from five in previous tournaments) have been claimed by Japan, Australia, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, and Jordan, who secured their spots by finishing in the top two of their respective groups during the third round.
Oman now has the challenging task of navigating the fourth round to join these established teams on the global stage.
In a message on X, the OFA expressed deep appreciation for the former head coach Rasheed Jaber, whose leadership was instrumental in guiding Oman to this crucial qualification phase. Jaber’s tenure laid the groundwork for the team’s current competitive position, which Queiroz now aims to build upon.
In addition to Queiroz’s appointment, Hamad Al Azzani has been named technical director for Oman’s youth national teams and will temporarily serve as assistant coach for the senior team during the qualifiers, ensuring a seamless transition and focus on long-term development.
The OFA’s board, chaired by Sayyid Sulaiman Al Busaidi, endorsed the decision to appoint Queiroz, reflecting a commitment to get the best results at the top level.
