Israel-Hamas war: Algeria agree to host Palestine national team matches

Algeria has confirmed its agreement to host the forthcoming football matches of the Palestine national team, as requested by the Palestinian FA.

Palestine is set to commence their 2026 World Cup campaign in the Asian section next month. Their initial qualifier, an away match against Lebanon on 16 November, will be held in the United Arab Emirates. However, their ‘home’ match against Australia, scheduled five days later, appears likely to be played in North Africa.

After the attack on Israel by the militant group Hamas on 7 October, resulting in over 1,400 casualties, the Gaza Strip has faced retaliatory air strikes, causing nearly 3,000 deaths. The situation has raised concerns, potentially prompting a ground offensive from the Israeli side.

“The president of the Algerian Football Federation, Mr. Walid Sadi, announces that our country will host the official Palestine-Australia match, scheduled for November,” stated the Algerian federation on its website.

The announcement stated that the decision to host “all sanctioned and unofficial matches as part of the Palestinian football team’s preparation for the 2026 World Cup and the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers” was made “in compliance with Algeria’s top authorities.”

The Algerian federation also affirmed its commitment to covering all expenses, including transportation and accommodation, associated with Palestine’s visit.

The initial stages of the 2026 World Cup qualification in Asia serve as dual qualifiers for the continent’s primary football tournament, the Asian Cup.

Amidst the deepening regional conflict, the Palestinian Football Association, whose home stadium is situated in the West Bank, has sought external assistance. They mentioned that the Asian Football Confederation had suggested holding the match against Australia in a neutral location.

Algeria’s consent to host Palestinian international matches is contingent on approval from FIFA, the global governing body for football, and the Asian Football Confederation.

Last week, Palestine’s preparations for the qualifiers next month were disrupted when the team withdrew from the Merdeka Cup tournament in Malaysia with only two days’ notice due to the escalating conflict with Israel.

Additionally, UEFA, the European governing body, postponed Israel’s 2024 European Championship qualifiers against Switzerland and Kosovo due to the ongoing hostilities.