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Asia Pacific|How Saudi Arabia and Qatar Benefited From Rule Changes to Reach the World Cup
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/31/world/asia/saudi-arabia-qatar-world-cup-rules.html
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A soccer governing body that both countries have helped bankroll gave them extra rest and home-field advantage to set up World Cup qualification.
Oct. 31, 2025, 6:06 a.m. ET
The unparalleled spending of Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the soccer world over the past decade has brought them influence, attention and access that few other nations can rival.
For the first time, it appears to have had an effect on events on the field, too. The Qatari and Saudi national teams secured places this month in next summer’s World Cup after soccer’s governing body in Asia — a recipient of lavish funding from the two Gulf states — changed qualification rules to give them home-field advantage, extra rest days and access to more tickets for fans.
The moves enraged opponents and brought new scrutiny to how power works atop global soccer.
“I simply can’t understand it,” said Carlos Queiroz, the coach of Oman’s national team, which played to a scoreless draw against Qatar this month in Doha. “I am, however, absolutely convinced that this playoff format was the worst possible service that football leadership could have done to its own credibility.”
The soccer federation for Qatar, whose only previous World Cup appearance came not through qualifying play but as the tournament host, declined to comment. The Asian Football Confederation and the Saudi soccer federation did not respond to requests for comment.
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The two Gulf nations’ spending has repeatedly called into question soccer’s credibility, particularly after FIFA, its global governing body, in 2010 awarded tiny, gas-rich Qatar the hosting rights to the 2022 World Cup in a bidding process widely seen as corrupt. Qatar denies the allegations. More outrage ensued when FIFA short-circuited its own rules and delivered the 2034 tournament to Saudi Arabia without competition.
