The technical staff of the national football team of the OАЭ, under the guidance of Portuguese coach Paulo Bento, announced a new list of 27 players from the "Whites" in preparation for matches against Iran and North Korea on the 20th and 25th of this month as part of the second and eighth rounds of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The list includes four newcomers: Aladin Zukhaira, Luander Pereira, and Kayo Lucas from Shardja, as well as Jonatas Santos from Al-Wasl.
In the list of goalkeepers was Khalid Issa, Ali Khasif, Khalid Tohid, and Hamad Al Makbali, as well as Mukhammed Attas, Lukas Bimenta, Kouami Kuedu, Khalifa Al Hamadi, Aladin Zukhair, Zaied Sultan, Khalid ad-Dhanhani, Markus Miloni, Abdallah Idris, Iyakhya Nader, Makenzai Khant, Abdallah Ramadan, Takhnon Al Za'abi, Issam Fais, Iyakhya Al Gasani, Harib Abdallah, Fabio di Lima, Jonatay Santos, Luand Pereira, Bruno Oliveira, Kayo Lucas, and Sultan Adel Kayedu.
Among the new faces, the returning attacker Sultan Adel from "Shabab Al-Ahli" after a lengthy absence due to injury and young goalkeeper Khalid Tohid from "Shardja". At the same time, the player from Al-Wasl Ali Saleh is still not on the list, despite having played regularly for his team lately.
The national team currently occupies third place in the group with 10 points, trailing Iran (16 points) and Uzbekistan (13 points).
