International Friendly LIVE: Republic of Ireland vs Qatar – score, text commentary, match stats & head-to-head

This will be the third meeting between the Republic of Ireland and Qatar after a pair of friendlies in 2021 – they drew 1-1 in Hungary in March that year before the Boys in Green won 4-0 at the Aviva Stadium in October.  

Republic of Ireland have won nine of their 11 fixtures against Asian opposition in their history, with the exceptions a 1-0 loss to Iran in November 2001 and a 1-1 draw with Qatar in March 2021; at home they have won all five by an aggregate score of 13-0. 

Republic of Ireland are unbeaten in each of their last six games in all competitions (W4 D2), their best run since an eight-match stretch between September 2021 and March 2022. 

Qatar have avoided defeat in five of their last seven games against European nations (W2 D3 L2), though are winless in three (D1 L2) since a 1-0 win against Albania in November 2022.

Republic of Ireland recorded 37 shots in their last outing versus Grenada, their most in a match on record with Opta (since June 2012); seven players made their debut in that match, the most different players to win their first cap in the same match for the Boys in Green since May 2007 (11 vs Ecuador).

During the third round of AFC qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Qatar conceded more goals than any other team (24), conceding three or more goals in exactly half of their 10 matches. They needed the fourth round to qualify to the finals in the US, drawing 0-0 with Oman and beating the UAE 2-1. 

Against Grenada earlier this month, Jack Moylan became the second player to net a hat-trick on their Republic of Ireland debut, after David Kelly vs Israel in 1987. Kelly was also the last player to net on both of their first two appearances for the nation and holds the record for most goals scored across their first two caps (4).    

Only Erling Haaland (16) scored more goals in qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup than Qatar’s Almoez Ali (12).