After advancing to the third round of World Cup qualification, the Palestine team had proposed hosting its games on home turf in Al Ram.
The Palestine Football Association (PFA) has announced that FIFA has rejected its request to host its matches for the third and final round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which begins in September due to the ongoing war in Gaza.
“Palestine Football Association has received a message from FIFA regarding our home matches for the World Cup’s third and final qualification stage, informing us that we will not play our home matches in Palestine.” the PFA said in a statement.
“We have long defended our right to play these matches on our soil, reaffirming our commitment to our players, fans, and the spirit of football, especially given the current circumstances facing our people, including the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza and the illegal occupation of Palestine,” the statement added.
Instead, the PFA announced that Malaysia had been chosen as the venue for the match between the national team and Jordan, scheduled for September 10.
In its statement, PFA thanked several Gulf countries including Qatar, for their offers to host the match.
However, they chose Malaysia due to its geographical proximity to the venue of the national team’s opening match against South Korea on September 5.
“In light of this reality, we have decided to play our first home game against Jordan on September 10 in Malaysia. We express our deep gratitude to the countries that offered to host our home matches, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Algeria, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Qatar. Their support demonstrates strong solidarity and a deep friendship with the Palestinian people,” the statement added.
“We apologise to our fans for not being able to play our home matches in Palestine and we are looking forward to finding the best possible formula to allow our people to support our national team,” the statement added.
“We are committed to continue advocating for our right to play in Jerusalem. We believe this is our right and the right of our fans to cheer for their team and make history together.”
Last month, the Palestinian team made history by advancing to the third round of continental qualifying for the first time. Due to the ongoing genocidal war in the Gaza Strip, they played their home games in Kuwait and Qatar.
“Playing at a neutral venue isn’t permanent and was never meant to be, so Faisal Al-Husseini is ready to host.” Susan Shabali, the PFA’s deputy president, told The Associated Press.
The Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium, with a capacity of 12,500, is located in the West Bank town of Al Ram.
In 2019, it hosted the team’s most recent competitive home game, a World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia that ended in a 0-0 draw.
