Preview: Qatar vs El Salvador - prediction, team news, lineups

Qatar round off their 2026 World Cup preparations with a friendly against El Salvador at the neutral BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday.

This will be only the third meeting between the two nations, with the Maroon One having prevailed on both previous occasions, including a narrow 1-0 win in a non-competitive fixture on July 4, 2021 and a 3-2 victory in the Gold Cup quarter-finals three weeks later.

Match preview

Qatar earned their maiden World Cup appearance as hosts of the 2022 tournament but have since shown they are capable of reaching the global stage through the conventional qualification pathway.

The Maroon One secured their place at this year’s finals in the fourth round of the AFC preliminaries, playing out a goalless draw with Oman before edging the United Arab Emirates 2-1 to top Group A’s three-team section.

However, that landmark achievement was followed by a disappointing spell of form, with the side finishing bottom of their group at the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup last December despite home advantage, and they are now without a win in five matches, losing four in that stretch.

Qatar arrive for this encounter off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Ireland last Thursday, with Nathan Collins netting inside five minutes to settle the contest, extending a run in which the Maroon One have conceded first-half goals in three of their last five outings.

While Lopetegui will be eager to resolve his side’s sluggish starts, there is also concern in the final third, with the team failing to score in four of their last seven matches and registering more than one goal in a game only once during that period.

Those numbers offer little encouragement heading into the World Cup, where Qatar find themselves as the lowest-placed side in Group B aside from Bosnia and Herzegovina, sitting 55th in the FIFA World Rankings in a bracket that also includes Switzerland and co-hosts Canada.

Ranked 100th in the world, El Salvador fell short in their bid to reach the 2026 World Cup – extending their long absence from the tournament since their last appearance in 1982 – after being eliminated in the third round of CONCACAF qualifying.

La Selecta finished bottom of Group A in that stage, with a win over Guatemala proving to be their only victory from six matches, although Hernan Gomez’s side did top their bracket in the March 2026 CONCACAF Series after defeating Martinique.

That result was followed by a 1-0 defeat to South Korea in last Thursday’s friendly at the neutral America First Field, leaving El Salvador with just one win in their last eight matches (D1, L6) and reflecting their frailties in the final third.

La Selecta have failed to score in eight of their last 12 games, and notably, each of their most recent five defeats has come without finding the net, suggesting their chances on Saturday may depend heavily on a significant improvement in attacking output.

Qatar International Friendlies form:

Qatar form (all competitions):

El Salvador International Friendlies form:

El Salvador form (all competitions):

Team News

Qatar striker Almoez Ali was sent off in the 78th minute of last Thursday’s defeat to Ireland despite only being introduced after the break, in a match that saw both sides reduced to 10 men.

However, the forward should be available for selection here, as red cards received in friendly matches do not typically carry over, and Ali will have the chance to add to his all-time record goals tally for the Maroon One.

Karim Boudiaf, Mohammad Al Mannai, Assim Omer Madibo and Lucas Mendes are also pushing for starting roles after making substitute appearances in the defeat to Ireland, while Akram Afif could retain his place on the flank.

El Salvador emerged from their friendly against South Korea without any fresh injury concerns, though head coach Gomez could make several changes to his lineup, with Mayer Gil and Kevin Reyes among those hoping to earn recalls after featuring from the bench.

Danis Cerros made his senior debut as a second-half substitute in that encounter, while Diego Ortez, Alejandro Cano and third-choice goalkeeper Geonathan Barrera could all be in line for their first appearances.

Nathan Ordaz and Styven Vasquez led the line against South Korea, but Cristian Gil is another option in attack and could be handed a starting berth on Saturday, while captain Mario Gonzalez is expected to keep his place between the sticks.

Qatar possible starting lineup:

Abunada; Al-Hussain, Miguel, Khoukhi, Al-Amin; Abdulsallam, Fathi, Laye; Junior, Ali, Afif

El Salvador possible starting lineup:

Gonzalez; Clavel, Sibrian, Cruz, A Henriquez; J Henriquez, Martinez, Reyes, Ceritos; C Gil, Ordaz

We say: Qatar 1-0 El Salvador

Qatar will be eager to head into the World Cup on a positive note and will take confidence from having won both previous meetings between the two nations, while they also hold a significant advantage in the FIFA World Rankings.

However, goals may be at a premium in a contest featuring two sides that have struggled for attacking fluency in recent months, and a single strike could prove enough to secure victory for Lopetegui's men.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.