Paulo Bento has been relieved of his duties as the head coach of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) soccer team just a few hours after a vital 2-1 victory against North Korea on Tuesday, a result that barely keeps their hopes of direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup alive.
The win, clinched with a dramatic goal in stoppage time, places the UAE four points adrift of second-place Uzbekistan in Group A, with two matches left in the third round of Asian qualifiers. Only the top two teams from each of the three Asian groups secure a guaranteed spot in the 48-team tournament, set to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year.
“The UAE Football Association has decided to dismiss the head coach of the national team, Paulo Bento, along with his coaching staff,” the UAE Football Association announced on social media.
The 55-year-old Bento previously led South Korea to the knockout stages of the 2022 World Cup, a decade after steering Portugal to the semifinals of the European Championships. Bento took over the UAE team in July 2023, succeeding Rodolfo Arruabarrena.
In another qualifying match, Iran secured its World Cup spot with a 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan.
Should the UAE fail to secure the second-place finish, there’s another chance as teams that finish third and fourth in their groups will enter a playoff for additional World Cup spots. Asia is entitled to eight guaranteed slots in the global competition.
The UAE’s next critical qualifying match against Uzbekistan will be played at home on June 5.