Doha: Qatar will commence its campaign in the FIFA Arab Cup 2025 on Monday, in an official opening match against Palestine. This encounter marks the start of Qatar’s journey in the eleventh edition of the tournament, the second consecutive hosted by Qatar under FIFA’s umbrella, and will be held at Al Bayt Stadium as part of Group A, which also includes Tunisia and Syria.

Having recently secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup; The Maroons enter the The tournament with boosted morale. This achievement came after topping Group A in the fourth round (play-off) of Asian qualifiers, held in Doha, ahead of Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

The Maroons lost 1-3 to Saudi Arabia in the 1998 final match of the Arab Cup, Qatar later secured third place in the previous edition held in Doha in 2021.

Qatar prepared for the tournament optimally, entering a local training camp during the current November international break listed on FIFA's agenda. During this camp, the team, under the leadership of Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui, played a friendly match against Zimbabwe, testing several players, especially younger ones, before finalizing the squad list for the Arab Cup.

Regarding the history of encounters between Qatar and Palestine, their meetings have been relatively limited. However, their most recent match in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup round of 16 provided a competitive tone, ending in a 2-1 victory for Qatar.

At the pre-match press conference, the coach of our national team,  Julen Lopetegui, stated: "We are happy to participate in the Arab Cup. I have watched Palestine's previous matches; they have good players, and the match will not be easy." He added, "Our focus is solely on the first match, and we seek to advance in the tournament step by step." Lopetegui further explained, "We have many new players in this tournament, and our goal is not limited to participation or testing some elements, but rather to win, develop, and prepare for the upcoming stages."

This match represents the beginning of Qatar's path in GroupA. Alongside Palestine, the group includes Tunisia and Syria, and our team hopes to advance as group leaders and successfully continue its journey in the tournament.