The Palestinian national team is closer to World Cup glory than ever, having advanced to the third round of Asian qualifying as one of the continent's top 18 teams.
Their next challenge is formidable: facing South Korea in Seoul's packed 66,000-seat stadium this Thursday.
South Korea, a perennial World Cup contender and semifinalist in 2002, presents a steep hurdle.
The top two teams from each of the three groups in this Asian qualifier will secure six of the AFC’s eight spots for the 2026 World Cup. Teams finishing third and fourth will enter a final round for the remaining two spots.
“Our goal is to be among the top four teams in the group, and we are capable of that,” Makram Daboub, head coach of the Palestinian team, told The Associated Press. “I’m very happy to have reached this important stage, and I am very proud of the players. It is the result of teamwork.”
Facing South Korea and English Premier League talent such as Son Heung-min is a different challenge for the team ranked No. 96 in the world.
“Son is a very excellent player, but we are playing against the Korean national team, which also has other good players, so our focus is more on the group and playing with the best teams in Asia,” Daboub said.
The other teams in Group B include Iraq, Jordan, Oman, and Kuwait.
The Palestinians spent time in Malaysia preparing for their opening match and will return to Kuala Lumpur for next week’s game against Jordan.
Daboub’s squad is familiar with playing on the road.
The Palestinian team progressed through the second round of continental qualifying for the first time in its history in June but, due to the ongoing Israeli assaults on the Gaza Strip, staged its “home” games in nearby Kuwait and Qatar.
Israel launched a genocidal offensive in Gaza in response to an Oct. 7 Hamas incursion into southern Israel in which around 1,200 people were killed and another 250 people were abducted.
The conflict is now in its 11th month and Israel has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
“The situation is getting more difficult in all aspects,” Daboub said. “What worries me most is, in addition to the psychological aspect as a result of the situation, there is also the physical condition of the players because most of them are without clubs.”
The game in Seoul is the first for Hong Myung-bo in his second spell as head coach of the South Korean team.
“I think the match is important for the national team, not for me personally,” Hong, who resigned after the 2014 tournament in Brazil, said. “This is World Cup qualification.”
The toughest qualifying group in Asia is Group C, which contains Japan, Australia, and Saudi Arabia. Japan, which opens at home against China, has 20 Europe-based players on its roster and is Asia’s highest-ranked team at No. 18. Australia and Saudi Arabia are each aiming for their seventh World Cup appearance.
“We need to focus on our job, get that job done, because it’s important. Phase two is over and phase three is beginning,” Socceroos coach Graham Arnold said ahead of Australia’s opening game against Bahrain. “Everyone starts on zero points, zero goals for and against, and it all starts from now.”
In Group A, Iran is expected to qualify for a fourth successive World Cup, and 2022 host Qatar is aiming to advance through qualifying for the first time. Qatar opens against the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan hosts North Korea.
