16 Apr 2018 – 15:50
AFP
Doha: Qatar will play in the 2019 Copa America in Brazil after accepting an invitation to take part in the world’s oldest continental tournament, a post on the QFA website showed.
The invitation was accepted by Qatar Football Association president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, who is in Argentina attending the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) congress.
Qatar will host the World Cup in 2022 but are set to test themselves against the five-time winners of that competition Brazil, as well as two-time champions Uruguay and Argentina, in South America three years prior.
South American governing body CONMEBOL announced last month that three teams from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), in which Qatar play, will be invited along with three other nations from either the rest of the Americas or the Caribbean.
Qatar are seeking to play competitive matches before hosting the World Cup in four years’ time.
Qatar were previously invited to play in the 2011 Copa America, but could not take part because of prior commitments.
