Algeria has taken the initiative to host matches involving the Palestinian football team due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Algeria has agreed to host “all official and non-official matches involving the Palestinian team’s preparation for qualification to the 2026 World Cup and 2027 Asian Cup and to assume all associated costs,” as stated by the Algerian Football Federation.
This decision followed a request made to the Algerian authorities by Jibril Rajoub, the head of the Palestinian football federation.
The initial of these matches is scheduled for next month when Palestine will “host” Australia in Algeria on November 21 for a 2026 World Cup qualifying match.
Palestine is placed in World Cup Asian preliminary qualifying Group I alongside Australia and Lebanon.
The 2023 Asian Cup is scheduled to begin in January, and Palestine is slated to compete against the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Hong Kong in Qatar.
A minimum of 2,670 casualties have been reported in the Gaza Strip following a relentless air offensive initiated by Israel in response to a lethal attack by Hamas on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 individuals.
