With just one match left to determine whether Palestine’s national football team will secure a historic first FIFA World Cup appearance across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico next summer, one thing is already certain: regardless of the outcome, they can count on their neighbors — Jordan— to make their voices heard.
Last week, the Hashemite Kingdom sealed a crushing 3-0 win versus Oman, clinching their ticket to their first-ever World Cup. The qualifying fixture infused an entire nation with pride, blowing years of marginalization and doubt to the side along the way. And as the first Arab team to cement their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, their qualification guarantees that at least one of ours will be represented on football’s biggest stage, while also ensuring that, whether in name or in spirit, a part of Palestine will too.
To us, there are two key points worth emphasizing here. First, Palestine is almost always highlighted by Arab teams during major football tournaments; and it’s become increasingly visible since October 7. Notably, Morocco’s national team made headlines at the 2022 Qatar World Cup for proudly displaying the Palestinian flag during their post-match celebrations in their historic run to the competition’s semifinals. Since then, and especially after the start of the genocide in Gaza, other Arab nations have followed suit, turning these gestures into a ritual, a tradition that is observed no matter the outcome of a game. The fact that this kind of support could now take place on U.S. soil—home to Israel’s most steadfast ally—adds another layer of meaning, one that could potentially raise awareness about a cause that, quite frankly, U.S. citizens have the power to influence.
Lest we forget, it was the American people who helped turn the tide of the Vietnam War. Through Guerrilla tactics and protests which eventually led to enforced policies and revised bills, mass mobilizations, student uprisings, and public pressure forced the U.S. government to reckon with its actions abroad and, eventually, change course. If that kind of movement could challenge a global superpower’s military campaign then, why couldn’t the same happen for Palestine now? Public opinion, when its moral compass points the right way, has the power to move mountains. And in this case, if stadiums across North America do indeed become spaces where Palestine is remembered and honored, then the 2026 FIFA World Cup could carry hopes of something greater than 22 men kicking a ball for a golden trophy (as important as that may be), even if it’s only off the back of Jordan’s national team.
The second point is more personal as Jordan’s qualification hits especially close to Palestine, not just because of the fact that the two countries are neighbors, but because their histories, identities, and demographics are intertwined. In addition to sharing a border with the West Bank, according to various sources, approximately 70% of the Hashemite Kingdom’s population is of Palestinian descent. With that in mind, it’s more than likely that some of the players on the squad have personal ties to the embattled parcel of land; if they’re not from there themselves. So when the Jordanian anthem plays and the team lines up during the group stages, two nations will feel every note of it.
Tomorrow, the Palestinian team has its final rendezvous to see whether their long-held dream will finally cross the line into reality. With a much-sought-after qualification at stake, one thing should offer some measure of comfort: regardless of the outcome, Jordan will be there for them. And they won’t be alone. As other Arab nations still fence for their own respective spots, those that make the cut will also be carrying the spirit of Palestine forward as they have already in the past and will to continue to for as long as it is needed.
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