The Republic of Ireland return to the Aviva Stadium tomorrow evening to face Qatar, with Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side aiming to extend their unbeaten run to seven matches.

While there are 10 uncapped players included in the squad for the upcoming fixtures against Qatar and Canada, Hallgrímsson has indicated that experience is likely to be prioritised for Thursday’s encounter due to the short preparation time ahead of the game.

The fixture serves as an important part of Qatar’s preparations ahead of the FIFA World Cup finals, with the visitors travelling to the tournament following their Dublin visit. Ireland, meanwhile, will continue their international window with a trip to Montreal to take on Canada next week.

Match Details

Fixture: Republic of Ireland v Qatar
Competition: International Friendly
Date: Thursday, May 28
Venue: Aviva Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm
TV: RTÉ
Tickets: Available here

Match Officials

Referee: Jamie Robinson (NIR)
Assistant Referee 1: Andrew Nethery (NIR)
Assistant Referee 2: Adam Jeffrey (NIR)
Fourth Official: Tim Marshall (NIR)

Team News

Troy Parrott is available for selection after Heimir Hallgrímsson confirmed this morning that the striker is fit following individual training on Tuesday.

Hallgrímsson is expected to rely on his more experienced players against Qatar, although there remains the possibility of international debuts from the bench as Ireland begin a two-game international window.

Press Conference | Head Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson 

On team selection for Qatar: "Given the time we have, more or less, this is the only day we have a proper training with everybody ready and fit. So, we will go for experience tomorrow. 

"We’ll start with the ones that have been with us before. It gives us then another week to prepare the younger guys for the Canada match. 

"Hopefully, we can give some of them some time on the pitch tomorrow, but given this is a strong opponent going for the World Cup—and I know them quite well—I know we need experience when we play them tomorrow. So, we go for that."

On Seamus' future: "Really happy. Obviously, his decision to continue playing for us is massive and we’re delighted with that one. Everybody has been speaking for the last week, or even two weeks, about his qualities as a leader and all of those things.

"We just like him to feel good as a player with us; that’s our objective. Obviously, he will give in so many other areas as well, so we are just delighted he is continuing."

Press Conference | Defender Seamus Coleman 

On being in the squad: "Yeah, it’s funny because the manager put up some profiles of staff and players yesterday and the date of birth beside it, and I was like, 'Oh my God!' I couldn't believe it. But I love it. 

"I love getting to know them, I love trying to help them in any way. These are the lads now that are trying to help keep me young because you’re still competing and you’re still trying to keep up the pace with them. But it’s great to see so many young faces in the squad and I’m sure that’ll help us a lot in the future going down the line when they get some experience with the team."

On Ireland future: "I think if we’d gotten to a World Cup maybe things would be different, but I spoke to the manager and he said if I can be fit and well and performing, he would like to have me around. 

"So as soon as the carrot of Ireland got dangled in front of me, that became a massive factor in my decisions. I’m looking forward to the two games now in the summer and having a break and kind of seeing where I go to next, or where I stand after that."

Match Facts - Republic of Ireland v Qatar

- 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). 

Republic of Ireland Squad - Qatar

Goalkeepers: Caoimhín Kelleher (Brentford), Ed McGinty (Shamrock Rovers), Conor Brann (Cork City)

Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Dara O'Shea (Ipswich Town), Jake O'Brien (Everton), Liam Scales (Celtic), James Abankwah (Watford), Corrie Ndaba (Lecce), Alex Murphy (Newcastle United).

Midfielders: Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Hodge (Tondela), Killian Phillips (St. Mirren), Jamie McGrath (Hibernian).

Attackers: Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar), Mason Melia (Tottenham Hotspur), Jaden Umeh (Benfica), Jack Moylan (Lincoln City), Adam Brennan (Shamrock Rovers), Chiedozie Ogbene (Ipswich Town).

Fixtures - International Friendlies

28/05 - Republic of Ireland v Qatar, Aviva Stadium, 7.45pm
06/06 - Canada v Republic of Ireland, Stadium Saputo, 00:30am (05/06 7.30pm local)