Palestine Stuns Qatar, Writing a New Arab Cup History
1 December 2025
Palestine's Historic Arab Cup Moment
Palestine's national team penned a new chapter in the Arab Cup by edging hosts Qatar with a stoppage-time goal on Monday night at the Al Bayt Stadium, in the opening group game of the tournament.
The victory tonight was Palestine's first Arab win since 1966 and only the second time Palestine has reached the tournament's knockout rounds, while it's the first time beating Qatar since 2002.
Palestine also became the first team to win against Qatar on Qatari soil in the Arab Cup group stage, ending five straight wins Qatar had collected as the 'Al Annabi'.
In the same breath, Qatar's last eight matches saw five losses, two draws, and a single win — a 2-1 victory over the UAE that earned them a World Cup 2026 berth, indeed.
Their meeting on Tuesday marked the seventh clash between the two sides, with Qatar winning five times, one draw, and Palestine scoring ten goals in the process.
Qatar also conceded two goals, including an own goal by Sultan Al-Breik into his own net, sadly.
Punchline 1: When you need a last-minute winner, even an own goal can steal the headlines.
Punchline 2: Qatar's defense apparently hit the post and forgot to bring it back.
