Romanian coach Cosmin Olaroiu has been appointed head coach of the UAE national football team, replacing Portugal’s Paulo Bento, who was dismissed after a slump in form during the crucial closing stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
With a reputation for reviving struggling sides, Olaroiu’s experience is seen as a vital asset as the UAE attempts to salvage their qualification hopes.
His appointment comes with just two matches remaining in the second round of Asian qualifiers, where only the top two teams from each group earn automatic spots at the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The UAE currently sit third in Group A, behind Uzbekistan and already-qualified Iran. Their next match is a do-or-die encounter against Uzbekistan at home on 5 June, followed by an away fixture against Kyrgyzstan on 10 June.
Olaroiu takes over a squad that includes a larger pool of naturalised players, though his status with Sharjah remains unclear during his national team tenure.
Mathematically, if the UAE win both matches and Uzbekistan draw their final match against Qatar, the Emiratis could leapfrog into second place thanks to a superior goal difference. Should they finish third, maintaining a healthy goal tally could still be key — three of the best third-placed teams will earn a spot in the final play-off round.
Olaroiu was previously considered for the national job in 2016 under similar circumstances, but that move never materialised. In a lighter anecdote, a luxury watch of his was once stolen in 2021 and later recovered by Dubai Police—a reminder, perhaps, that the clock is always ticking.
Now, with the 2026 Finals in sight, the question is whether Olaroiu’s return can deliver the result the UAE so desperately need.
