How Palestine could qualify for the 2026 World Cup

Palestine’s national football team will learn on Thursday who they will play in the next Asian World Cup qualifying round.

Like other teams, they are faced with a complex system of group stages and playoffs as they bid to be among the finalists at the next edition of the expanded tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

Unlike other teams, Palestine are competing against the backdrop of war in Gaza, in which football players have been among tens of thousands killed by Israeli forces.

The 2026 World Cup is set to be the biggest ever, contested by 48 teams, compared with 32 at the last tournament in Qatar in 2022.

The number of qualifying places for Asian teams has doubled from four to eight, offering outsiders such as Palestine their best ever chance of reaching the finals.

READ MORE: How Palestine could qualify for the 2026 World Cup