Ireland v Qatar prediction, betting tips and bet builder – Glory for the Boys in Green?

The Republic of Ireland are in international action on Thursday night as they welcome Qatar to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin in a friendly as part of the Asian champions’ World Cup preparations.

Ireland v Qatar best bets

• Republic of Ireland to win to nil at 13/8 with bet365
• Troy Parrott to score at 6/5 with bet365
• Republic of Ireland to win to nil, Parrott to score at 4/1 with bet365

Ireland v Qatar head to head overview

Ireland v Qatar predicted lineups

Ireland (3-4-3): Kelleher (GK); O’Brien, Collins, Scales; Coleman, Molumby, Hodge, Murphy; Ogbene, Parrott, Moylan

Qatar (4-2-3-1): Barsham (GK); Al Aloui, Khoukhi, Al Hussain, Junior; Boudiaf, Madibo; Afif, Hatem, El Amin; Alaa

Ireland v Qatar prediction

The Republic of Ireland will be taking part in the second of their three post-season international friendlies on Thursday, and their only home one, as they welcome reigning Asian champions Qatar to Dublin.

Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side have had to dust off their disappointment at not qualifying for this summer’s World Cup following their play-off semi final defeat to the Czech Republic in Prague back in March, in which they lost hold of a 2-0 lead before suffering defeat in a penalty shoot out.

That loss means the nation haven’t qualified for a major tournament since Euro 2016, and haven’t qualified for a World Cup since 2002, but attention must now this summer’s friendlies in preparation for their Nations League campaign, which gets underway in September.

Since their World Cup qualifying heartbreak two months ago, the Boys In Green, have drawn 0-0 with North Macedonia in Dublin just a few days later, before regrouping for this current summer international window.

The Icelandic boss selected a squad made up primarily of Scotland and EFL-based players for a training camp in Spain, which saw them defeat Grenada 5-0, before picking a new, much more full strength squad for Thursday’s game in Dublin, before the side fly out to Montreal to take on Canada next Friday night.

Republic of Ireland will then set their focus firmly on the autumn’s Nations League campaign, with the nation drawn into a group containing Israel, Austria and Kosovo in League B, a group they will fancy themselves to at least achieve a top two finish and book a promotion play-off into League A.

Hallgrimsson’s side head into Thursday’s clash undefeated in their last six matches in regular time, winning four of those, including those unforgettable victories in World Cup qualifying against Portugal and Hungary back in November.

Qatar make a pit stop at Ireland en route to their California-based training camp for the 2026 World Cup having not played a match of any kind since their premature Arab Cup exit back in December.

Managed by former Wolves and West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui, Qatar were due to host both Serbia and reigning world champions Argentina for some friendlies in March, only for both to cancelled due to the breakout of the Iran war.

Another friendly was scheduled in the nation’s capital Doha last week, in what would have been the Maroons’ final home game before departing for their first ever World Cup tournament outside home conditions, only for several players in the Sudan team contracting jaundice upon their arrival in the country, leading to the match being cancelled.

Instead, Thursday’s match in Dublin will be the first of two pre-World Cup friendlies for Qatar, with then heading to the USA for a match against El Salvador next Saturday before their first ever taking part in the first World Cup they’ve reached as qualifiers, having hosted the competition four years ago in their only previous appearance.

Despite the hiring of their new high profile manager last summer, recruiting a former Spain and Real Madrid manager, Lopetegui has only won two of his 11 matches since being named Qatar boss, including three defeats in his last four matches.

The nation, who head into the World Cup as Asian champions after winning the Asian Cup they hosted in 2023, could only muster one point from a group stage containing Palestine, Syria and Tunisia in their Arab Cup campaign back in December, in which they named a full strength side, so confidence will not be sky high.

Thursday’s match will be the first time the two nations have met since an October 2021 friendly, also in Dublin, when Cardiff striker Callum Robinson scored a hat trick in a 4-0 home win for Ireland.

However, Hallgrimmson is yet to get the better of the Qataris across two previous matches with the Middle Eastern side, drawing 1-1 in Qatar when managing Iceland back in 2017, before being beaten 2-1 in Austria when managing Jamaica back in 2023.

Despite Qatar having qualified for the World Cup, which Ireland failed to do, the Boys In Green should have squad strength and the form to get the better of their West Asian opponents in their final home match of the season, a 2-0 home win perhaps seeming the most likely outcome.

Ireland v Qatar betting tips

Green glory

Ireland by far the stronger squad on paper and head into their final home game of the campaign undefeated in their last six matches in normal time, winning four of those.

Meanwhile, Qatar are winless in nine of their 11 games under Lopetegui, haven’t played a match together since December and have lost three of their last four matches, at least three of those games against teams they’d have been expecting to beat comfortably.

• Republic of Ireland to win to nil at 13/8 with bet365

Troy on target

Troy Parrott has scored more goals than any other player in Ireland’s current squad, and made himself something of a legend when scoring five goals in two games across the November international break against Portugal and Hungary to send them into the World Cup play-offs.

The 24-year-old has also gained many plaudits for his club this season, in what was by far the best campaign of his career, scoring 31 goals in 48 appearances for AZ Alkmaar.

• Troy Parrott to score at 6/5 with bet365

Ireland v Qatar latest odds

Find the latest Ireland v Qatar betting odds here, odds courtesy of Betfred and are subject to change.

• Ireland – 8/13
• Draw – 13/5
• Aston Villa – 4/1

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