Al Wakrah and Qatar SC will kick off the 2026-2027 season Doha Bank Stars League when they face off at the Lusail Stadium on Thursday, August 20, 2026. The kick-off is at 5.15pm.

Both teams will be looking to make a strong start and secure their first three points of the season.

Al Wakrah head into the contest under Chilean coach Jose Luis Sierra, who has been working to bring his squad to peak condition through a series of friendly matches in France and Doha.

During their training camp in France, Al Wakrah faced several challenging opponents. They suffered a 1-5 defeat against Nantes, lost 0-1 to FC Rouen and went down 1-4 against Stade Malherbe Caen. However, The Blue Wave also recorded an encouraging 2-0 victory over Stade Brestois.

After returning to Doha, Al Wakrah rounded off their preparations with a competitive friendly against Al Gharafa, narrowly losing 2-3. The match provided Sierra and his technical staff with a final opportunity to assess the squad and determine their preferred line-up ahead of the league opener.

Al Wakrah have also reinforced their squad as they seek a strong campaign, with Tameem Mansour Muftah among the notable additions to strengthen their attacking options.

Sierra can call on a talented group of forwards including Amine Zahzouh, Radwan Berkane, Jacinto Dala and Ayoub Assal. Experienced players including goalkeeper Mohammed Al Bakri, Murad Naji, Issa Laidouni, Luis Alberto, Ahmed Fadel and Almahdi Ali add further depth to the squad.

The coaching staff will also look to gradually integrate several promising young players as Al Wakrah seek to build a competitive side capable of challenging throughout the season.

Qatar SC, meanwhile, begin the new campaign under Spanish coach Marquez Lopez, with The Kings hoping to translate their pre-season work into a positive opening result.

The team conducted an overseas training camp in Spain, where Lopez used a series of friendly matches to assess his players and improve their technical and physical readiness.

Qatar SC began their friendly programme with a goalless draw against Club Costa City before suffering a 0-2 defeat in their next outing against another Spanish side Murcia. They responded emphatically with a 5-0 victory over Futbol Jobs side before concluding their preparations with a 2-2 draw against Malaysian giants Johor FC.

The Kings have also been active in strengthening their squad ahead of the new season. Abdullah Al Marafi joined from Al Arabi to reinforce the midfield, while Pau Prim, Albert Luque and Yassin Lafrid are among the other additions. Bruno Tabata has also returned to the club, providing valuable experience and creativity.

With both sides entering the campaign with revamped squads and ambitions of improving their performances, the encounter is expected to provide an intriguing opening to the new season.

For Al Wakrah and Qatar SC, securing maximum points at Lusail Stadium would provide an early confidence boost as they embark on what promises to be another highly-competitive Doha Bank Stars League campaign.