Muscat: The Fifa Arab Cup 2025 qualifiers is being held in Doha on November 25 and 26, bringing together 14 teams competing for the final seven places in the tournament.
Out of 23 registered teams, the top nine, based on Fifa's April 2025 world rankings, have already secured direct qualification, while the remaining teams will battle through single-match playoffs.
The nine teams that qualified directly include host Qatar, defending champions Algeria, and the seven highest-ranked teams: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and the UAE.
The qualifiers will feature seven intense match-ups involving lower-ranked teams such as Oman, Bahrain, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Kuwait, Yemen, Libya, Mauritania, Djibouti, Comoros, Somalia and South Sudan.
Doha will host all qualification matches across four major stadiums. Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, opened in 2013 with a capacity of 10,221 spectators, and Hamad Al Kabir Stadium, inaugurated in 1969 with room for 13,000 fans, Thani bin Jassim Stadium, opened in 2003 and accommodating 21,175 spectators, along with Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, built in 1975 with a capacity of 15,000.
The preliminary round of the Arab Cup kicked off on November 25 with Kuwait facing Mauritania, followed by Syria taking on South Sudan, while Palestine met Libya in another qualifying fixture.
Oman will begin their qualifying campaign on Wednesday, with a decisive matchup against Somalia. The same day will also see Bahrain play Djibouti and Yemen meet Comoros in their respective playoff ties.
The qualification stage will conclude with Sudan facing Lebanon in the final playoff match. The winners from these fixtures will complete the tournament line-up and join the group stage alongside the directly qualified teams.
The draw for the Arab Cup, held in Doha on May 24, placed hosts Qatar in Group A alongside Tunisia and the winners of Playoff 3 (Syria or South Sudan) and Playoff 4 (Palestine or Libya).
Group B features Morocco, Saudi Arabia, the winners of Playoff 1 (Oman or Somalia), and Playoff 7 (Yemen or Comoros).
Group C includes Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and the winners of Playoff 6 (Kuwait or Mauritania).
Group D brings together Algeria, Iraq, the winners of Playoff 2 (Bahrain or Djibouti), and Playoff 5 (Lebanon or Sudan).
If Oman advance to the group stage, they will open campaign against Saudi Arabia on December 2 at Education City Stadium, then will face Morocco on December 5 at the same venue, before concluding the group fixtures on December 8 against the winners of the Comoros–Yemen playoff at Stadium 974.
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