Doha: The Qatar Football Association (QFA) held its General Assembly meeting on Monday to discuss key topics regarding Qatari football, the national team, and the overall level of club competition during the 2024-2025 season. Chaired by HE President of the QFA Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, the meeting was attended by the Association’s board of directors and representatives from member clubs. The meeting resulted in the adoption of decisions regarding the items on the agenda.
According to Qatar News Agency, the General Assembly approved the minutes of the previous meeting, held on June 10, 2024, and subsequently approved the QFA’s annual report on activities. The collected, audited, and unified budget, along with the profit and loss statement, financial statements, and the budget for the upcoming period, were all reviewed and approved. Preparations for the 2025-2026 season, scheduled to commence on August 14, were discussed, including the readiness of teams for participation in both local and continental competitions.
Al Buainain underscored the significance of the upcoming match between Qatar and Iran, set for Thursday at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, as part of the third round of the Asian qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026, to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Commenting on the match, he stated that Qatar is facing a critical fixture against Iran on Thursday, and he is optimistic about the prospects under the leadership of new Spanish head coach Julen Lopetegui. The President of the QFA called on all clubs to unite in their support of the national team for this pivotal encounter.
He recognized that the team’s recent performances have not met expectations, but QFA has full confidence in the players’ ability to rise to the occasion in the matches against Iran and Uzbekistan, as the Association is determined to secure a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Al Buainain also highlighted Qatar’s preparations to host the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 from November 3 to 27, 2025, as well as the organization of the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup from December 1 to 18, following the successful inaugural tournament under FIFA in 2021.
He expressed hope for continued collaboration with clubs regarding the scheduling of the new season 2025-2026 and praised the contributions of the Association’s partners as well as the media for their unwavering support of QFA’s events. The President of the QFA emphasized the crucial role of the youth teams and the imperative of sustained efforts within clubs to identify and nurture talent to bolster the national teams and achieve long-term sporting success by developing competitive squads at all levels.