Malayali-origin footballer Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid has been named in Qatar's final 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first Malayali to earn a place in a World Cup squad.

Qatar head coach Julen Lopetegui announced the squad for the tournament, which will be held across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

Tahsin, 19, is the son of Jamshid, a former Calicut University footballer from Thalassery, and Shaima, who hails from Valapattanam in Kannur district. He was born and brought up in Qatar after his family moved there.

Rise through Qatar's football system

The young midfielder has progressed through Qatar's youth ranks, representing the country at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-19 levels. He also scored for Qatar's Under-17 side during his youth international career.

Tahsin previously made history as the first player of Indian origin to feature in the Qatar Stars League. He began playing for Al Duhail at the age of 17 and has since continued his development within the country's football structure.

His inclusion comes after Lopetegui finalised the World Cup squad in line with FIFA regulations, selecting 26 players for the tournament.

Qatar's World Cup preparations

Qatar are currently training in the United States as part of their final preparations for the competition. The team is scheduled to play El Salvador in a warm-up match in Los Angeles on June 6.

Lopetegui's final squad does not include several experienced players who were left out during the selection process, including Sebastian Soria and Tarek Salman.

At the World Cup, Qatar will compete in Group B alongside Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their opening match is against Switzerland on June 14.