MUSCAT, AUGUST 27
The head coach of the national senior football team, Jaroslav Silhavy, announced on Tuesday a 25-member Oman squad for the opening games of the deciding round of the Asian Qualifiers for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, against Iraq and South Korea on September 5 and 10 respectively.
The selection of the Czech coach marks the harmony among the majority of players who were together in the last round of the Asian qualifiers which progressed Oman to this stage. On the other side, the unveiled squad omitted many faces who were expected to join the team based on their performance recently including Al Mundher al Alawi, Abdulaziz al Maqbali, Juma al Habsi and Hatim al Roushdi.
Silhavy opted the following players to represent the national team in the forthcoming games against Iraq and South Korea including: Ibrahim al Mukhaini, Fayez al Rushedi, Ibrahim al Rajhi, Ahmed al Khamisi, Mohammed al Musallami, Khalid al Buraiki, Ghanim al Habshi, Ali al Buaisi, Ahmed al Kaabi, Amjad al Harthy, Abdulaziz al Shmoosi, Arshad al Alawi, Harib al Saadi, Abdullah Fawaz, Salah al Yahyaei, Zaher al Aghbari, Jameel al Yahmadi, Omar al Malki, Sultan al Marzooq, Nasser al Rawahi, Issam al Subhi, Abdulrahman al Mushefri, Mohsin al Ghassani, Mohammed al Ghafri and Mohammed al Ghafri.
Oman team players will report to the daily training sessions, on Wednesday, after a long gap since the completion of a preparatory camp in Spain. The team will travel to Basra City in Iraq on September 3 while they will return back to Muscat on the following day of the match. This is to ensure the team’s readiness ahead of both essential games.
Oman will aim to book a historic spot in the forthcoming edition of Fifa World Cup 2026 which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. Oman have high hopes to accomplish this dream as they were drawn in a group that comprises South Korea, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine and Kuwait in Group B.
Oman will kick off their Asian qualifiers games with an away match against Iraq in Basra city on September 5. The match will start at 8 pm (Oman time) at Basra International Stadium. Then, Oman will host South Korea in a key game on September 10. Later, the Red Warriors will meet Kuwait on October 10 in Muscat and it will be followed by Jordan clash on October 15 in Amman city.
The concluding first leg matches will be against Palestine on November 14. The second leg matches will begin as Oman will host Iraq in Muscat on November 19 before travelling to Seoul to face South Korea on March 20, 2025, and then Kuwait on March 25, 2025. Then, Oman will be back to play a home game as they will take on Jordan in Muscat on June 5, 2025 and the concluding game against Palestine is scheduled on June 10, 2025 in an away match.
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