The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) has asked to host matches on home soil for the first time since Palestinians gained control of the Gaza Strip, PFA president Ahmed Al-Afeefy said.
The Palestinian team has been drawn with Iraq, China and Singapore; it will start its qualifying campaign in March.
Afeefy stated that the PFA wrote to the FIFA and the Asian Federation telling them that the Palestinian team wants to do home matches in Palestine.
He added that the Palestinians felt the time was right to host matches on home soil after the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
Afeefy added that he hopes the PFA would be allowed to host matches at its home stadium in Gaza City, the stadium can hold 15.000 fans.
If that was not possible, Afeefy said that home matches would be held either in Jordan or Qatar.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter was slated to visit the Gaza Strip this week to inaugurate the PFA’s new headquarters, but the visit was cancelled due to security concerns.
