The FIFA Arab Cup kicked off with a major upset on Monday as Palestine defeated hosts Qatar in a nail-biting opener.
A spectacular opening ceremony was held at the Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar on Monday, December 1, 2025. A total of 61,475 fans were present at the stadium to witness the ceremony built around the themes of unity, peace and renewal.
After the ceremony, Palestine produced one of the biggest surprises of the opening day of the tournament, scoring their first Arab Cup win in almost 6 decades. Palestine won their last against North Yemen in 1966.
Both teams were unable to score a goal during the 90 minutes of playing time. Qatar dominated possession for most of the match but were unable to make a breakthrough.
During stoppage time, exactly in the 95th minute of the match, Qatar defender Sultan Al Brake accidentally scored an own goal, resulting in an iconic win for the visitors.
Palestine celebrated the goal with Cristiano Ronaldo’s signature “Suiii” celebration.
In another Group A clash on the opening day, Syria defeated Tunisia 1-0. Now, Syria and Palestine now top the points list in the group.
Qatar will now face Syria on Thursday, November 4, 2025.
This year’s FIFA Arab Cup features 16 teams in four different groups. It is scheduled to run from December 1 to December 18, 2025.
