What happened?
Walid Regragui's meeting with Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in a Paris café sparked controversy on social media. Walid Regragui appeared alongside Qatar's Emir in a video, triggering a wave of spontaneous and positive comments.
Why does it matter for Qatar?
The meeting has led to speculation about Regragui's potential coaching role for Qatar's national team in the near future, despite the team's current association with Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui, who led the team in the 2026 World Cup. Qatar's national team is currently fourth in the World Cup, six points behind leader Switzerland, and has been struggling with poor results lately, including losing its last two games, including the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 24, 2026.
What comes next?
Walid Regragui's presence could be an opportunity for the Qatari Football Association, especially given his previous experience coaching Qatari club Al-Duhail. Qatar's national team is looking to improve its performance in the 2027 Asian Cup, after winning the title in the previous two editions. League standing: 4th in World Cup, 1 pts, 0W-1D-2L from 3 games, recent form LLD.
