2025 FIFA Arab Cup qualification

2025 FIFA Arab Cup qualification
Tournament details
Host countryQatar
Dates25–26 November
Teams14 (from 2 confederations)
Venue4 (in 2 host cities)
Tournament statistics
Matches played7
Goals scored16 (2.29 per match)
Attendance44,625 (6,375 per match)
Top scorer(s) Zaïd Amir
Mohammad Daham
Abdulwasea Al-Matari
(2 goals each)

The 2025 FIFA Arab Cup qualification were played from 25 to 26 November 2025.[1] A total of 14 teams competed in the qualifying play-offs to qualify for the group stage of the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup.[2][3]

Format

The 14 lowest-ranked teams in the April 2025 FIFA World Ranking met on 25 and 26 November in a single knockout match.[4] The best-ranked AFC team met the lowest-ranked CAF team, the second-best AFC team played the second-lowest CAF team, and so on.[3] In the qualifying play-offs, each tie was played as a single match. A penalty shoot-out was used to decide the winner if necessary.[5]

Draw

The group stage draw took place on 25 May 2025 at 20:00 AST (UTC+3) in at the Raffles Hotel in Doha, Qatar.[6]

These 14 teams were divided into 7 pairings, with each pair playing single knockout match across 25 to 26 November 2025. The numbers in parentheses indicate the FIFA Men's World Ranking of April 2025.

Note: Bolded teams qualified for the group stage.

Pot 1 (AFC) Pot 2 (CAF)

Summary

The seven winners advanced to the group stage.

Team 1  Score  Team 2
Mauritania  0–2  Kuwait
Syria  2–0  South Sudan
Palestine  0–0 (4–3 p)  Libya
Oman  0–0 (4–1 p)  Somalia
Bahrain  1–0  Djibouti
Sudan  2–1  Lebanon
Comoros  4–4 (4–2 p)  Yemen

Matches

All times are local, AST (UTC+3).

Qualifying 6
Mauritania 0–2 Kuwait
Report Daham 8', 24'
Attendance: 4,268
Referee: Ma Ning (China)

Kuwait advanced to Group C.


Qualifying 3
Syria 2–0 South Sudan
Report
Attendance: 7,294
Referee: Amin Omar (Egypt)

Syria advanced to Group A.


Qualifying 4
Palestine 0–0 Libya
Report
Penalties
4–3
  • Yusuf
  • Ali
  • Taqtaq
  • Tajouri
  • Al Hbeishi

Palestine advanced to Group A.


Qualifying 1
Oman 0–0 Somalia
Report
Penalties
4–1
Attendance: 3,957
Referee: Juan Calderón (Costa Rica)

Oman advanced to Group D.


Qualifying 2
Bahrain 1–0 Djibouti
Al-Romaihi 36' Report
Attendance: 1,600
Referee: Juan Gabriel Benítez (Paraguay)

Bahrain advanced to Group D.


Qualifying 5
Sudan 2–1 Lebanon
Report Khamis 30'

Sudan advanced to Group D.


Qualifying 7
Comoros 4–4 Yemen
Report
Penalties
4–2
Attendance: 1,342
Referee: Cristián Garay (Chile)

Comoros advanced to Group B.

Goalscorers

There were 16 goals scored in 7 matches, for an average of 2.29 goals per match.

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Source: FIFA

References

  1. ^ "Key tournament decisions made by FIFA Council". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Arab Cup 2025: Draw live stream – how to watch". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Draw procedures for the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  4. ^ "Arab Cup and U-17 World Cup draws to take centre stage". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 24 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Regulations for the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025" (PDF). FIFA. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
  6. ^ "FIFA Arab Cup groups revealed". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 25 May 2025.