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After advancing to the third round of World Cup qualifying, the Palestinian team proposed to host the game at their home stadium in Al-Rham.
The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) has announced that FIFA has rejected its request to host the third and final round of 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which are due to begin in September, due to the ongoing fighting in Gaza.
“The Palestinian Football Association has received information from FIFA regarding home matches in the third and final qualifying round of the World Cup, informing us that we will not be playing home games in Palestine,” the Palestinian Football Association said. explain In a statement.
The statement added: “We have long defended the right to hold these matches on our soil and reaffirm our commitment to the players, fans and the spirit of football, especially in light of the current situation facing our people, including Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and illegal occupation of Palestine.”
Instead, the Football Players Association announced that Malaysia has been chosen as the venue for the national team’s match against Jordan, which will be held on September 10.
In a statement, the English Football Association thanked Qatar and several other Gulf countries for offering to host the match.
However, they chose Malaysia because the country is geographically close to the national team’s opening match against South Korea on September 5.
“Given this reality, we have decided to play our first home match against Jordan in Malaysia on September 10. We express our deep gratitude to the countries that have offered to host our home games: Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Algeria, Malaysia, Indonesia and Qatar. Their support demonstrates our strong solidarity and deep friendship with the Palestinian people,” the statement added.
The statement added: “We apologize to our fans for not being able to play our home games in Palestine and we look forward to finding the best way for our fans to support our national team.”
“We are committed to continuing to fight for the right to play in Jerusalem. We believe it is our right and the right of our fans to cheer on their team and make history together.”
Last month, the Palestinian team made history by advancing to the third round of the continental qualifiers for the first time. Their home games were held in Kuwait and Qatar due to the ongoing genocide war in the Gaza Strip.
“Playing at neutral venues is not permanent and never has been permanent, so Faisal Husseini is ready to host.” PFA vice-chairman Susan Sabali Tell Associated Press.
The Faisal Husseini International Stadium has a capacity of 12,500 spectators and is located in the town of Al-Ram in the West Bank.
In 2019, it hosted the team’s most recent home game – a World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia, which ended in a 0-0 draw.
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