RIYADH: The journey toward qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway, with Asia’s big guns kick-starting their campaigns over the past week.
With the tournament expanding to feature 48 teams for the first time, there is increased interest down the line as nations that have historically fallen short now fancy their chances of securing a place at football’s global showpiece.
After the first two match days of the second round of qualifying, there are five things we learned. Palestine full of fight Given the circumstances of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the Palestine team could have been forgiven if their minds were elsewhere during the international window.
Having only just escaped into Jordan to allow them to prepare, many left behind family and friends stuck in the firing line making for an incredibly stressful few weeks for every member of the team.