Last-Minute Penalty Ends Palestine’s World Cup Dream

Palestine’s national football team, which had been fighting through pain and conflict, saw its World Cup dream shattered due to a controversial last-minute penalty.

On Thursday, in a match held at King Abdullah Stadium in Amman, Palestine was leading Oman 1–0 until the 97th minute. But a late penalty goal tied the game 1–1, ending Palestine’s World Cup qualification journey.

“This was a big opportunity for us,” said team’s star striker Oday Dabbagh. “We were well prepared, the mood was positive, and the fans were behind us. We gave everything—but everything ended in a moment.”

Ranked 101st in the world, Palestine had to win its last three Group B matches to qualify. They had already defeated Iraq (in Basra) and Kuwait (in Kuwait City), but the draw against Oman left them one point short, placing them fifth in the group and out of the qualifiers.

After the match, the Palestine Football Association filed a complaint to FIFA against the penalty decision, but the result was not changed.

Due to the ongoing Israel–Hamas war, Palestine was unable to play home matches in Gaza or the West Bank. Instead, they used Amman, Jordan, as their home ground. “It’s easier when you play on your home field, but the situation forced us to play elsewhere,” said Dabbagh.

Since the war started in 2023, there has been no football league in Palestine. Stadiums have been destroyed, and hundreds of players have lost their lives.

Currently, 25 out of 27 players in the national squad play for clubs outside of Palestine. Many of them, who once couldn’t even leave Gaza or the West Bank, are now competing abroad. The team had trained in Algeria, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

Despite the World Cup exit, Palestine has already qualified for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia. Dabbagh added, “We will continue to use football to send a message. There is still hope and talent in Palestine. Our dream is not over.”