Bahrain: Félix Sánchez Bas appointed head coach after three defeats at the Gulf Cup

Spaniard Félix Sánchez Bas was appointed Bahrain head coach on Monday, October 12, 2026, replacing Croatian Dragan Talajić. The former Qatar coach, with whom he won the Asian Cup in 2019, will take up his duties in November, with the 2027 Asian Cup and qualification for the 2030 World Cup as his main objectives.

The Bahrain Football Association officially announced his appointment after a difficult 2026 Gulf Cup for the national team, which was beaten in all three of its group matches. The new head coach will have to prepare for the next continental fixtures while reviving a team that has endured a run of disappointing results.

A career marked by Qatar’s 2019 triumph

Félix Sánchez Bas made a name for himself through his youth development work in Qatar. After working at FC Barcelona, the Spaniard joined Aspire Academy, where he contributed to the development of young Qatari players before taking charge of several of the country’s youth national teams.

In 2014, he won the AFC U-19 Asian Cup with Qatar. Three years later, he was appointed head coach of the senior national team. His greatest success came in 2019, when Qatar won its first Asian Cup. In the final, Qatar defeated Japan (3-1).

Sánchez then led Qatar at the 2022 World Cup, hosted in the country. The national team finished bottom of its group after three defeats against Ecuador (0-2), Senegal (1-3) and the Netherlands (0-2).

After leaving Qatar, the Spanish coach took charge of Ecuador in 2023. He led the South American team to the quarter-finals of the 2024 Copa América, where it was eliminated by Argentina on penalties. His spell in charge of Ecuador ended that same year. He then returned to club football with Al-Sadd in Qatar.

Bahrain in difficulty after three defeats

The new coach takes charge of a national team coming off a difficult Gulf Cup campaign. Bahrain, winners of the 2023 edition, failed to defend their title at the 2026 tournament.

The national team lost all three of its group matches against Qatar (0-2), the United Arab Emirates (0-3) and Yemen (2-5). It finished the group stage without a single point, scoring two goals and conceding ten. These results preceded Dragan Talajić’s departure, with his replacement officially announced by the federation.

In the men’s FIFA ranking published on July 20, 2026, Bahrain occupied 92nd place in the world. This position is the latest reference available as of that date and should not be confused with an updated ranking as of October 12.

The 2027 Asian Cup as the first major assignment

Félix Sánchez Bas will begin his work in November, during the next international window. His first major objective will be the 2027 Asian Cup, to be held in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, 2027.

Bahrain will compete in Group B alongside Uzbekistan, Jordan and North Korea. The head coach will have to prepare his team to face these three opponents while addressing the defensive difficulties that emerged during the Gulf Cup.

Preparing for the 2030 World Cup qualifiers is also among the objectives of his tenure. Drawing on his experience of Asian football and his continental title with Qatar, Sánchez returns to a national team in the region with the task of putting it back on a more consistent path.

Nouya M'toama

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Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.

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