Palestine’s historic journey in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifying campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup ended in heartbreaking fashion after a late penalty from Oman secured a 1-1 draw in their final group match.
Needing a win to advance to the fourth round of the AFC qualifiers, Palestine was leading deep into injury time after Oday Kharoub’s goal early in the second half. The scoreline, which would have been enough to push Palestine into the next round, would have seen them overtake Oman for the final qualifying spot in Group B.
However, with just seconds remaining in the match, a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review spotted a shirt pull on Omani striker Muhsen Al-Ghassani as he chased a long free kick. The referee awarded a penalty, and Essam Al-Subhi’s successful spot kick in the 97th minute dashed Palestine’s hopes of making their World Cup debut.
Palestine had played impressively throughout the match. In the first half, Michel Termanini’s header struck the bar, and Wessam Ali had a second goal ruled out for an offside. A red card for Oman’s Harib Al-Saadi in the 73rd minute further tilted the balance in Palestine’s favor. Despite their dominance, the late penalty proved to be the undoing.
The game’s pivotal moment came when Al-Ghassani tried to latch onto a looped ball into the box. A tug from Palestine’s Ahmed Taha was deemed a foul, resulting in the penalty that sealed their fate.
Palestine’s Near Miss and AFC Asian Cup Feat
Palestine’s journey to the third round of World Cup qualifying was a monumental achievement, coming after their historic run to the knockout stages of the AFC Asian Cup. Their World Cup dream was tantalizingly close, but the late drama in Amman, Jordan, marked the end of their campaign.
Due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Palestine was forced to play their home matches at the King Abdullah II Stadium, adding an emotional layer to the qualifiers. With the final whistle approaching, celebrations were ready to erupt, but instead, the players were left devastated as their World Cup dream crumbled in the final moments. Many of the players were visibly shaken, with tears flowing as they sank to the ground in disbelief.
Oman’s dramatic equalizer means they, along with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Iraq, and Indonesia (who lost 6-0 to Japan earlier in the day), advance to the fourth round of qualifiers. From this round, two teams will join the six already-qualified nations in the 2026 World Cup.
The third-placed team from the fourth round will also have a chance to qualify for the 2026 World Cup through the FIFA Intercontinental Playoffs, offering one last opportunity.
Australia Seals Automatic Qualification
Australia confirmed their automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup by securing a 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, finishing second in Group C. They will join Japan, Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Jordan, who all secured top-two finishes in their respective groups, to book their places in next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This marks the first time both Canada and Mexico have qualified as hosts.
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