Palestine’s national football team is facing a formidable challenge in their pursuit of a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Despite being in the third stage of the 18-nation qualifiers for the first time, their preparations have been severely disrupted by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. This has forced the team to play all their matches abroad and train in Malaysia.
The impact of the war has been deeply felt by the Palestinian football community, with the Palestine Football Association reporting the tragic deaths of at least 92 players and the complete destruction of their football infrastructure. This has made the task of preparing for the qualifiers even more daunting.
Coach Makram Daboub and forward Wessam Abou Ali have expressed concerns about their team’s readiness. The suspension of Palestinian domestic leagues and the constant travel for training and matches have taken a toll on the squad. “It’s a big challenge, and our goal is to achieve a positive result. We faced difficulties in preparing for these games,” Daboub told reporters.
Despite the hardships, Daboub remains optimistic. “We resorted to closed camps to prepare the players physically and psychologically for the qualifiers and maintain their usual level of performance,” he said. “We are relying on the available best skilled players to get the points.”
Their first opponent in Group B is a formidable South Korea, a team with a strong World Cup pedigree. They have participated in the last 10 editions of the tournament and were semifinalists when co-hosting in 2002. Coach Daboub acknowledges the task ahead: “We will rely on our fighting spirit, passion and organisation to stop talented players such as Son Heung-min.”
For the Palestinian players, the motivation goes beyond sporting glory. “I think the most important thing for us players is to create happiness for fellow Palestinian people who suffer more than some of us,” said Abou Ali.
Palestine will face their next challenge on September 10th in Kuala Lumpur against Jordan. The team’s journey through the qualifiers is a testament to their resilience and determination in the face of extraordinary adversity.
