The United Arab Emirates Football Association dismissed head coach Paulo Bento on Wednesday, despite the national team keeping their hopes of automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup alive with a narrow 2-1 victory over North Korea.
“The UAE Football Association has decided to relieve head coach Paulo Bento and his coaching staff of their duties,” the federation announced in a statement.
“A new head coach will be appointed soon to lead the team in the Group A 2026 World Cup qualifiers and other official competitions,” it added.
The incoming coach will take charge for the final two matches of the qualifiers—against second-placed Uzbekistan on June 5 and Kyrgyzstan, currently second from bottom, on June 10.
A victory over Uzbekistan would significantly boost the UAE’s chances of securing a place in the finals. The team currently trails the Uzbeks by four points, as Uzbekistan aims to qualify for football’s biggest tournament for the first time.
Bento, 55, took charge in July 2023 but struggled with inconsistent results in the qualifiers, including a 2-0 defeat to Iran in Tehran last Thursday. His leadership came under further scrutiny after the UAE secured their win over North Korea only in the eighth minute of injury time on Tuesday.
The UAE sit third in the group with 13 points, while Iran secured their qualification on Tuesday as group leaders.
The top two teams qualify directly for the World Cup, while those finishing third and fourth in each of the three Asian groups will enter an additional round of qualification.
