The 2026 FIFA World Cup was the largest iteration in history, featuring 48 teams. Among them are eight Arab teams, two of which are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Both qualified for the tournament, which was held across 16 host cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This was Qatar’s second World Cup appearance, following their automatic qualification as the host nation in 2022. Saudi Arabia has competed in every World Cup since 1994 except for 2010 and 2014, making this their seventh appearance. Qatar did not advance past the group stage, playing a total of three matches. The team secured a historic first-ever World Cup point by drawing with Switzerland 1-1 but later lost 0-6 to Canada and 3-1 to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Qatar earned that single point from its three matches, due to their draw with Switzerland, at the bottom of Group B.

Although Qatar’s campaign was brief, it was not without memorable moments. During their match against Canada, midfielder Assim Madibo was handed a five-day suspension for a severe tackle. The Qatari team travelled between Seattle, Washington; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Santa Clara, California, using Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, as their base camp. Qatar also paid for one thousand fans—including Qatari students studying in North America—to travel to the games, stay in premium hotels, and attend all three matches.

Saudi Arabia’s team competed in Group H, having also played in just three games. They drew with both Cape Verde (0-0) and Uruguay (1-1) and lost 4-0 to Spain. This marked the team’s third consecutive World Cup where they failed to make it past the group stage. The team was based at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, and played games in Houston, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; and Miami, Florida. Saudi Arabia finished in last place in Group H with two points, prompting the president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation to announce his resignation. Although neither Gulf state advanced, both displayed moments of competitive promise on the global stage.

The six other Arab nations competing in the tournament were Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan. Of these, only Algeria, Morocco, and Egypt moved forward to the knockout rounds. Morocco made the strongest impression among the three North African teams, finishing the group stage undefeated after defeating both Scotland (2-1) and Haiti (4-0). In the knockout phase, the ‘Atlas Lions’ continued their historic momentum by eliminating both the Netherlands and co-host Canada to reach the quarter-finals, where they were eventually eliminated 2-0 by France. Egypt also broke its historical tournament curse by reaching the Round of 16 before falling 3-2 in a tight match against Argentina, while Algeria’s resilient run ended in the Round of 32 with a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland.

These games highlight the Arab world’s growing prominence in global sports. The region’s spectacular performance in the 2026 FIFA World Cup follows the Qatar-hosted 2022 games, which had been the first World Cup to be hosted in the Middle East. The Qatar games were just the beginning, as both the 2030 and 2034 games will have at least one Arab host country. The 2030 World Cup will be cohosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, followed by Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the 2034 games. In addition to the World Cup, the region is also gaining prominence on the Olympic stage. The United Arab Emirates sent its first-ever team to the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, making it the first time there had ever been five nations represented from the Middle East and North Africa at a Winter Olympics. The UAE joined Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Turkey, and Morocco in sending a total of 16 athletes from the region to the Winter Games. Qatar is currently a top contender for hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics, having emphasised their pre-existing stadium infrastructure that had been built for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The host country will be named in 2029, giving Qatar, if selected, seven years to prepare to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

The 2026 World Cup tournament revealed a region undergoing different levels of athletic development. The early exits of Qatar and Saudi Arabia highlighted the immense pressure and high stakes of competing on the world stage, prompting an immediate administrative review in the Gulf. Conversely, Morocco, Egypt and Algeria delivered outstanding performances that captivated global audiences, proving that North African football belongs among the sport’s elite. Whether celebrating a historic quarter-final run or regrouping after a group-stage exit, the collective trajectory of these eight nations is undeniably upwards. Alongside expanding Winter Olympic representation and securing the hosting of future mega-events, the Arab world has firmly established itself as a dominant force in the future of global sports.