Australia coach wants neutral venue for Palestine game

Australia coach Graham Arnold has called on the government to help ensure the Socceroos play their World Cup qualifier against the Palestine team at a safe, neutral venue due to security concerns in the region.

Health authorities in Gaza said at least 3,000 people had died in Israel's 11-day bombardment that began after a Hamas 7 October attack on southern Israeli communities in which 1,300 people were killed and around 200 were taken into Gaza as hostages.

Australia are due to play the Palestine team in Asia qualifying on 21 November at a venue to be decided.

"No doubt we're going to need the government's support in those type of decisions on where we're playing Palestine and even Lebanon," Arnold told reporters in London.

"Because of what is going on at the moment it's quite scary.

"We're obviously not on top of everything that is going on in the security side of things in the Middle East, no doubt the government is more into that than we are - so give us some help so the decision is safe.

"We need to be safe."

Australia beat New Zealand 2-0 in a friendly in London on Tuesday, their last match before their opening 2026 World Cup qualifier against Bangladesh in Melbourne on 16 November.

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