Alkass English
Al Wakrah have entered the final phase of their preparations for the 2026–2027 season after completing a pre-season training camp in Rennes, France, from July 17 to August 2.
Under head coach José Luis Sierra and his technical staff, the camp focused on improving the players’ fitness, tactical understanding and overall cohesion. It also gave the coaching team an opportunity to assess the squad’s new arrivals alongside its established players ahead of the new campaign.
The Blue Wave played four friendly matches during their stay in France. They recorded a 2–0 victory over Stade Brestois but suffered defeats against Caen (4–1), FC Rouen (1–0) and Nantes (5–1).
Despite the mixed results, the matches provided Sierra with valuable opportunities to test different combinations, evaluate individual performances and identify areas requiring further improvement.
Al Wakrah finished eighth in the 2025–2026 Doha Bank Stars League after collecting 27 points from seven wins, six draws and nine defeats. They scored 32 goals and conceded 36 during the campaign.
The club have since strengthened their squad by signing Rabeh Boussafi, Mohamed Ibrahim “Simo” and Tameem Mansour. They join a group featuring Luis Alberto, Lucas Mendes, Amin Zahzouh, Aïssa Laïdouni, Jacinto Dala, Gerard Valentín, Hamdy Fathy, Redouane Berkane, Ayoub Assal, Almahdi Ali and goalkeeper Mohammed Al Bakri.
Al Wakrah will begin their 2026–2027 Doha Bank Stars League campaign against Qatar SC at Lusail Stadium on August 20, with the team aiming to improve on last season’s finish and compete strongly across the domestic competitions.