{"id":111376,"date":"2023-10-17T05:20:40","date_gmt":"2023-10-17T05:20:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/10\/17\/algeria-to-host-palestine-national-team-matches\/"},"modified":"2023-10-17T05:20:40","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T05:20:40","slug":"algeria-to-host-palestine-national-team-matches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/10\/17\/algeria-to-host-palestine-national-team-matches\/","title":{"rendered":"Algeria to host Palestine national team matches"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Palestine have never qualified for the World Cup but have reached three Asian Cup tournaments
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Algeria says it will host the Palestine national team\u2019s forthcoming football matches following a request from the Palestinian Football Association.<\/p>\n

Palestine are scheduled to start their 2026 World Cup campaign in the Asian section next month.<\/p>\n

Their first qualifier, away to Lebanon on 16 November, will be played in the United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n

A \u2018home\u2019 match against Australia five days later looks set to be played in north Africa.<\/p>\n

Following the attack on Israel by the militant group Hamas on 7 October, which left more than 1,400 people dead, the Gaza Strip has been the subject of retaliatory air strikes, which have resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths, with the Israelis looking set to launch an imminent ground offensive.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe president of the Algerian Football Federation, Mr Walid Sadi, announces that our country will host the official Palestine-Australia match, scheduled for November,\u201d the Algerian federation\u00a0wrote on its website.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The statement added that the decision to host \u201call official and unofficial matches as part of the Palestinian football team\u2019s preparation for the 2026 World Cup and the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers\u201d was taken \u201cin accordance with Algeria\u2019s leading authorities\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Algerian federation added that it will pay all costs, such as transport and accommodation, related to Palestine\u2019s stay.<\/p>\n

The early rounds of 2026 World Cup qualifying in Asia also double up as qualifiers for the continent\u2019s main football competition, the Asian Cup.<\/p>\n

The Palestinian Football Association, whose national stadium is based in the West Bank, has sought external help as the regional conflict intensifies, stating that the Asian Football Confederation has asked it to stage the Australia match in a neutral venue.<\/p>\n

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Algeria hosted this year\u2019s African Nations Championship, a competition for African footballers based in their own countries<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Algeria\u2019s agreement to host Palestine internationals will require approval from football\u2019s world governing body, Fifa.<\/p>\n

Last week, Palestine\u2019s preparations for next month\u2019s qualifiers were hit after the team withdrew from the Merdeka Cup tournament in Malaysia at two days\u2019 notice owing to the escalating conflict with Israel.<\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s 2024 European Championship qualifiers against Switzerland and Kosovo were also postponed by European governing body Uefa because of the fighting.<\/p>\n

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