Skip to main content

Palestinian soccer scores goal in venue dispute

Following popular anger from Palestinian fans, a decision to relocate a soccer match between the Palestinian and Saudi teams outside of Palestine has been revoked.
Matias Hadwa of Palestine jumps for a header during their 2018 World Cup qualifying soccer match against the United Arab Emirates at Faisal al-Husseini Stadium in the occupied West Bank town of Al-Ram near Jerusalem September 8, 2015. REUTERS/Mohamed Torokman - RTX1ROFK
Read in 

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian soccer may have won its biggest victory over its Saudi rival before the teams even enter the pitch.

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has decided that the two national teams may play the second of two matches in the 2018 World Cup and the 2019 Asian Cup qualifications in Palestine after all, revoking an earlier decision to find a less controversial alternative. The reversal came after an Oct. 6 meeting in Zurich between FIFA President Sepp Blatter and the heads of the Palestinian and Saudi Arabian football associations, Jibril Rajoub and Ahmed Eid al-Harbi.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.