Why were Qatar in the Gold Cup?
The decision to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup brought up a litany of human rights issues and problems.
However, the event is now just a month away with the wheels fully in motion for the first tournament to be held in the Middle East.
Qatar have never previously competed in a World Cup and don't have strong football ties around the world, though that has changed in recent years as they looked to improve the competitiveness of their side.
Why are Qatar in the Gold Cup?
Qatar are not recognised as members of CONCACAF, North American's football confederation, but were invited to compete in the 2021 edition of the tournament. They became the second team from Asia to participate in the Gold Cup.
Governing football bodies in the Asian and CONCACAF regions began working together in 2018, targeting an established "framework to strengthen collaboration, encourage knowledge exchange and further develop football in their respective territories".
“We are very proud to expand the collaboration with AFC. This MoU represents an important step forward in achieving our ONE CONCACAF Vision as we continue our efforts to advance the game,” said CONCACAF President, Victor Montagliani.
“The agreement opens a new range of opportunities that provide a development platform to empower Member Associations and contribute to the sustainable growth of football.”
The agreement looked to extend competitive opportunities, including referee exchanges and sharing best practices regarding World Cup hosting.
Qatar won Group D, beating Grenada and Honduras after an opening 3-3 draw with Panama, and reached the semi finals after overcoming El Salvador 3-2.
However, they were beaten by eventual champions United States courtesy of Gyasi Zardes' 86th-minute winner.
They were invited to both the 2021 and 2023 Gold Cups back in 2023, so will compete again in that competition next year. They are not the only team to have been invited to participate, with sides like Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador all competing previously to boost the playing standard despite not being part of CONCACAF.
Qatar also faced European opposition during World Cup qualifying throughout 2021, facing sides like Portugal, the Republic of Ireland and Serbia. They won two games, against Luxembourg and Azerbaijan.
Qatar at regional tournaments
FIFA World Cup
This is the first time Qatar will feature at a World Cup finals. Their returns in qualifying have grown steadily in recent years, recording 20 points as they failed to reach the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
AFC Asian Cup
Qatar have qualified for the Asian Cup ten times and are the reigning champions, having won the competition for the first time in 2019. They won all seven games, scoring 19 times and conceding just once.
- 1980 - Group stage
- 1984 - Group stage
- 1988 - Group stage
- 1992 - Group stage
- 2000 - Quarter finals
- 2004 - Group stage
- 2007 - Group stage
- 2011 - Quarter finals
- 2015 - Group stage
- 2019 - Champions
FIFA Arab Cup
Qatar have never won the FIFA Arab Cup, competing in it three times. Their debut in 1985 ended in a fourth place finish but they finished in the top three in their two subsequent appearances in 1998 and 2021.
- 1985 - Fourth place
- 1998 - Runners up
- 2021 - Third place
Copa America
Qatar were invited to compete at the Copa America in 2019 and were drawn in Group B alongside Colombia, Argentina and Paraguay.
While they recorded a respectable draw in their first game with Paraguay after going 2-0 down, defeats to Colombia and Argentina saw them finish bottom of the group and eliminated.
- 2019 - Group stage
Gulf Cup
The Gulf Cup sees the eight member nations of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation compete in a biennial competition.
Qatar are three-time champions, having won in 1992, 2004 and 2014. Mansour Muftah is their all-time top scorer in the tournament, netting 13 times.
- 1970 - Fourth place
- 1972 - Fourth place
- 1974 - Semi finals
- 1976 - Third place
- 1979 - Fifth place
- 1982 - Fifth place
- 1984 - Runners up
- 1986 - Fourth place
- 1988 - Sixth place
- 1990 - Runners up
- 1992 - Champions
- 1994 - Fourth place
- 1996 - Runners up
- 1998 - Sixth place
- 2002 - Runners up
- 2003 - Third place
- 2004 - Champions
- 2007 - Group stage
- 2009 - Semi finals
- 2010 - Group stage
- 2013 - Group stage
- 2014 - Champions
- 2017 - Group stage
- 2019 - Semi finals
