Julen Lopetegui has been officially appointed as the new head coach of the Qatar national football team, with a contract running until June 2027. This marks his second time managing a national team, following his previous role with Spain.
Lopetegui’s immediate goal is to guide Qatar through the remaining qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The team currently sits fourth in its qualification group with 10 points from 24. While direct qualification seems unlikely, they remain in contention for a spot through the continental playoffs. To secure a playoff berth without relying on other results, Qatar must earn three points from their final two matches.
This move continues Qatar’s trend of appointing experienced Spanish coaches, following the success of Félix Sánchez Bas, who led the team to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup title and managed them during their 2022 World Cup campaign.
Before taking the Qatar job, Lopetegui had been linked to roles such as the Belgium national team, though he had previously expressed a preference for club management. His recent managerial positions include spells at Sevilla—where he won the UEFA Europa League in 2020—Wolverhampton Wanderers, and West Ham United, from which he was dismissed three months ago.
This marks Lopetegui’s first coaching role outside of Europe and offers him a new challenge to revive his managerial career on the international stage.
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