Palestine coach Ehab Abu Jazar affirmed his side's readiness to face Qatar in the opening match of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 on Monday at Al Bayt Stadium, as part of Group A, which also includes Tunisia and Syria.
Speaking on Sunday, Abu Jazar stressed the importance of the Arab Cup, particularly given Qatar's exceptional organization and world-class stadiums. He said the Palestinian team enters tomorrow's match with high ambitions and a desire to advance deep into the tournament, after qualifying from the preliminary round by defeating Libya on penalties following a goalless draw.
He expressed confidence in his players' ability to deliver a strong performance in the opening match, noting that the team is in high spirits and aiming for victory despite the challenge of facing the hosts, Qatar.
The coach added that the match holds special significance as the tournament's opener, and because the opponent is the host nation - two-time AFC Asian Cup champions and qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which requires exerting maximum effort.
Abu Jazar acknowledged that the team faces some absences due to players' club commitments. Still, he emphasized that the available squad is determined to perform at its best, especially after getting into tournament rhythm through the preliminary-round match against Libya.
He noted that the presence of several Palestinian players in the Qatari league will have a positive impact on the team's performance in the Arab Cup.
For his part, Palestine midfielder Ameid Mahajneh stressed the major significance of participating in the Arab Cup, expressing hope that the team will deliver strong performances in all three group-stage matches, with the primary focus now on tomorrow’s opener against Qatar.
He added that all players are fully prepared for the tournament kick-off, pointing out that achieving a positive result in the first match would provide a crucial morale boost for the rest of their campaign.