Algeria Offers To Host Palestinian Football Matches Amid Gaza War

Algeria has stepped in to host all matches involving the Palestinian national football team and bear all associated costs due to the continuing war in Gaza.

Algeria has agreed to stage “all official and non-official matches involving the Palestinian team’s preparation for qualification to the 2026 World Cup and 2027 Asian Cup and to assume all associated costs,” an Algerian football federation statement announced in a statement on Monday.

The move, subject to approval from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), was announced after a request was put forward to the Algerian authorities by Jibril Rajoub, the head of the Palestinian football federation.

The first of these games comes next month when Palestine will “host” Australia in Algeria on November 21 in a 2026 World Cup qualifier.ALSO READ:Uganda Opposition Leader Bobi Wine Arrested

Palestine are in the World Cup Asian preliminary qualifying Group I with the Australians and Lebanon.

The 2023 Asian Cup starts in January with Palestine set to face the UAE, Iran and Hong Kong in Qatar.

The North African country has long held an affinity towards Palestine and Algerian footballers and fans have repeatedly shown solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

During the current conflict, several Algerian footballers have shown solidarity with the Palestinians during their national team’s matches.