FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers: Afghanistan stuns Qatar to hold Asian Champion to a goalless draw

Afghanistan continued to turn heads under new coach Ashley Westwood as it held Asian Champion Qatar to a goalless draw in the FIFA World Cup 2026 second round qualifier.

Qatar coach Marquez Lopez talks to Abdullah Al Yazidi after the draw with Afghanistan. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Afghanistan continued to turn heads under new coach Ashley Westwood as it held Asian Champion Qatar to a goalless draw in the FIFA World Cup 2026 second round qualifier, at the Prince Abdullah Bin Jalawi Stadium on Thursday.

This was the first draw for the AFC Asian Cup champion in this calendar year, with the previous one -- a 1-1 draw against Uzbekistan in the Asian Cup -- ending in a 3-2 win on penalties for Qatar.

Afghanistan, on the other hand, has undergone a positive change under Westwood, who took over as the head coach in November last year. After losing its first two matches in charge, the Afghans held higher-ranked India to a goalless draw, eventually beating the team in the return fixture.

Qatar, which has already qualified for the next round plays second-placed India in its final group-stage match on June 11 while Westwood’s Afghanistan will squad off this round against Kuwait on the same day.