UAE seeks to improve against Iran in qualifiers

UAE manager Paulo Bento is optimistic about his team's chances as they prepare for an important week in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The UAE currently sits third in Group A, six points behind leaders Iran and three points behind Uzbekistan. Only the top two teams will earn spots in the World Cup, making every match crucial. On Thursday, the UAE faces Iran in Tehran. Iran is a strong team, having qualified for the World Cup six times and remaining unbeaten in the qualifiers so far. In their last meeting, the UAE narrowly lost 1-0, despite having a chance to score from a penalty that was reversed by VAR in the last minutes of the match. Bento believes the experiences and challenges from past matches can motivate his team to perform better. He said they are focused on improving their situation, taking it one match at a time. He trusts his players and feels confident they will give their best against Iran. After the match with Iran, the UAE will play against North Korea in Saudi Arabia next Tuesday. Their previous match against North Korea ended in a disappointing 1-1 draw, which could complicate their qualification efforts. A similar result would make it difficult for the UAE to achieve their World Cup goals.