Qatar's Maroons Train in Santa Barbara

Qatar’s national soccer team is training at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, preparing for their World Cup campaign with games spread across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Facing Switzerland, Canada, and Bosnia & Herzegovina in Group B, they’re banking on their toughest matchup as their best chance to advance. Beyond the pitch, players are bonding with locals, gifting jerseys to students and high school teams. Coach Julen Lopetegui insists they’re ready to compete after earning their spot. The team arrived post-friendlies against Ireland and has one final tune-up in LA. Westmont, a soccer hotspot hosting U.S. Women’s National Team and pros, offers ideal conditions — even with custom signage and upgraded synthetic turf, Qatar’s fully committed to making a splash on the world stage. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/ab36beb173d43b99