Qatar vs Australia Prediction, Betting Tips & Preview

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Qatar

vs

Australia

KickoffFriday 13 November 2026, 2:45pm

VenueJassim Bin Hamad Stadium

CompetitionInternational Friendlies

Two nations still finding their feet after the World Cup dust has settled, Qatar and Australia meet in Doha for the first of two November friendlies. Neither side has competitive football until well into next year, so there is plenty of motivation to use these games wisely, whether that is bedding in younger players, sharpening combinations, or simply winning to keep confidence high. The question is whether Qatar can bounce back on home soil after a tough summer, or whether the Socceroos have enough about them to claim a result away from home.

This preview breaks down the team news, form, head to head record, and the markets worth targeting, finishing with a bet builder and a final prediction.

Qatar vs Australia Match Details

The fixture takes place at a venue in Doha, Qatar, with the hosts playing in front of their home support as part of the November international break. Both sides are using this pair of friendlies as preparation ahead of longer term competitive targets, with Qatar looking ahead to future Gulf competition and Australia with the Asian Cup on the horizon late next year. First up is this meeting in Qatar, before a second fixture follows shortly after.

Team News

Qatar have named a squad that is very similar to the one that featured in the Arabian Gulf Cup, so Lopetegui has a settled group to work with. The one notable change is the absence of first choice goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham, which opens the door for his deputy to deputise between the sticks.

• Almoez Ali available and expected to lead the line, with 61 goals in 132 caps for Qatar
• Hassan Al-Haydos close to the 200 cap landmark and likely to feature prominently in attack
• Boualem Khoukhi, Karim Boudiaf, Akram Afif and Pedro Miguel all available with over 110 caps each
• Meshaal Barsham absent from the squad

Australia have also named a strong group, though there are a few familiar names missing from their September squad that faced Brazil.

• Jackson Irvine and Aiden O’Neill among the notable midfield absentees
• Alex Robertson also missed out on a call up
• Patrick Beach continues in goal as the heir apparent to Mathew Ryan
• Kusini Yengi available to lead the attack with seven goals in just 11 caps
• Nestory Irankunda fit and expected to feature, already 21 caps and seven goals at age 20

Predicted Lineups

Lopetegui looks set to go with a recognisable shape built around the experience running through his squad. Ali leads the line with Afif and Al-Haydos supporting, while Boudiaf and Madibo provide the engine in central midfield. The back line of Khoukhi, Miguel and Ahmed offers plenty of international miles.

Qatar expected lineup: Abunada; Al-Oui, Khoukhi, Miguel, Ahmed; Boudiaf, Madibo, Fathy; Al-Haydos, Ali, Afif

Popovic has a relatively settled back four to pick from, with Circati, Souttar and Lucas Herrington of Hull City all likely to feature again after their appearances against Brazil. Yengi leads the front line, with Irankunda given space to influence from a wider position.

Australia expected lineup: Beach; Circati, Souttar, Herrington; Italiano, Metcalfe, McGree, Behich; Younis, Yengi, Irankunda

Recent Form

Qatar had a World Cup to forget in many respects. Their group stage exit was not a shock, but conceding 10 goals across three games against Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina was a rough ride. They managed one draw against the Swiss and lost the other two, leaving Lopetegui with plenty to address when the squad reconvened for the Arabian Gulf Cup.

The Gulf Cup showed more promise. Qatar earned seven points from their group, beating Bahrain and Yemen before drawing with the UAE, and that form was enough to reach the semi finals. Against Saudi Arabia, they were resolute over 120 goalless minutes but could not convert in the penalty shootout in Jeddah. It is not a result that should demoralise them, but it will sting, and home friendlies like this are exactly the kind of occasion where a manager wants a positive response.

Australia came through their World Cup group with four points, with a solid win over Turkey offset by a loss to the USA and a draw against Paraguay. The round of 32 against Egypt went to penalties after an own goal levelled things up, and the Socceroos went out from the spot. The two September friendlies against Brazil were a decent test. Drawing the first 1 1 was a fine result even if Rayan’s late equaliser stung, and leading 2 1 in the second game before losing 4 2 showed both promise and vulnerability. There are encouraging signs in the squad, particularly with how quickly Irankunda is developing, but Popovic will want to tighten things up at the back.

Head-to-Head Record

Qatar and Australia have crossed paths a number of times through Asian Football Confederation competition and various friendlies over the years. Australia have generally had the edge when these sides meet, and the Socceroos have a decent record in matches they have been expected to win or compete in closely. Qatar on home soil, though, is a different proposition, and in front of their own support they tend to raise their game considerably.

The venue matters here. Qatar’s home environment is a genuine factor, and they will draw on that crowd energy on Friday. Australia will need to be disciplined and clinical rather than relying on extended periods of possession to wear the hosts down.

Key Stats

• Qatar conceded 10 goals in three World Cup group games, a defensive vulnerability that Australia will have noted
• Almoez Ali has 61 goals in 132 caps for Qatar, one of the most prolific international strikers in Asian football
• Nestory Irankunda already has seven goals in 21 caps at just 20 years old, while Kusini Yengi averages a goal roughly every 90 minutes for Australia with seven from 11 appearances

Qatar vs Australia Betting Tips

Australia carry a slight edge in squad depth and have shown against Brazil that they can compete with better opposition. Qatar at home are not to be taken lightly, and with Ali and Afif in the attacking third they always carry a threat. The smart money looks to be on a game where both sides find the net and the Socceroos edge it, but the margins are thin enough that the right markets matter more than a straight result.

Corners Prediction

Both sides like to build from wide areas and press when out of possession. Qatar will be aggressive at home and Australia will look to attack on the break with pace through Irankunda and Yengi. Expect a good volume of corners from both sides, and backing over 9.5 corners looks a reasonable call given how both teams operate in attacking transitions.

Correct Score Prediction

Australia to edge it in a game where Qatar make life difficult on home soil. The Socceroos have enough quality going forward through Yengi and Irankunda to create chances, but Qatar will find the net too given their defensive record was poor at the World Cup and Ali always causes problems. A 2 1 Australia win feels the most natural outcome here.

First Goalscorer Prediction

Kusini Yengi is the pick here. Seven goals in 11 caps is a remarkable return and he leads the line with real menace for the Socceroos. Against a Qatar back line that shipped 10 at the World Cup, a striker with his record and instinct in the box has to be backed to open the scoring.

Cards Prediction

Friendlies can sometimes lack the edge of competitive football, but Qatar away from the World Cup environment tend to play with intensity and there will be moments where the game becomes niggly. With Australia pressing high and Qatar trying to assert themselves on home soil, backing over 3.5 cards looks fair value, particularly if the game becomes tight and tempers fray in the second half.

Bet Builder Tip

Australia winning in a game where both sides contribute goals fits perfectly with Yengi opening the scoring, given his exceptional conversion rate in front of goal for the Socceroos.

Final Match Prediction

Qatar will be motivated to put on a show for their home support after the disappointment of the World Cup and the near miss against Saudi Arabia in the Gulf Cup. Ali and Afif give them genuine menace and they cannot be written off, but the defensive frailties from the summer remain a concern against a forward line as sharp as Australia’s.

Popovic has a settled and experienced enough group to get the job done on the road. Irankunda’s energy and Yengi’s clinical finishing give the Socceroos the edge going forward, and while Qatar will make it competitive, Australia should have enough to come away with a 2 1 win in Doha.

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