Oman hires Carlos Queiroz as coach in push for World Cup qualification
MUSCAT, Oman (AP) — Oman hired Carlos Queiroz as its national-team coach Tuesday ahead of autumn games that will determine if the country advances to the World Cup for the first time.
The veteran Portuguese tactician led Iran into the 2014 and 2018 World Cups and will take over with immediate effect.
Oman and five other countries — Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar — have reached the fourth round of qualifying. From groups of three, the two winners will qualify for the 2026 World Cup next summer in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The fourth-round draw will be on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The matches are in October. After those, there’s one additional round — the second-place finishers square off in November for a spot in a playoff tournament.
“This comes as part of efforts to improve the team’s performances for upcoming games,” the Oman Football Association said in a statement.
Queiroz replaces Rashid Jaber, who led Oman to a fourth-place finish in the third round to keep qualification hopes alive.
The 72-year-old Queiroz has also coached Real Madrid, Portugal, Egypt, Colombia and Qatar.
Queiroz was fired as Qatar coach in December 2023 after 11 games in charge.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.