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The Arab world’s biggest football competition kicks off on Monday, as 16 teams from across the region face off in Qatar.

Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament, which occurs every four years:

What are the key dates?

The FIFA Arab Cup 2025 will begin on Monday, with Tunisia facing Syria in the tournament opener.

The final will be played on December 18, marking the conclusion of the 32-match tournament.

• Group stage: December 1 to 9
• Quarterfinals: December 11 and 12
• Semifinals: December 15
• Third-place playoff: December 18
• Final: December 18

Where is the tournament being held?

Qatar is staging the Arab Cup for the third time; it hosted the 1998 and 2021 tournaments. It is also the second successive FIFA tournament hosted by the Gulf nation after the recently concluded FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Six venues have been chosen to host the regional showpiece, each of which was used during the FIFA World Cup three years ago.

As was the case during Qatar 2022, Al Bayt Stadium, in the northern city of Al Khor, will host the tournament opener, while the magnificent Lusail Stadium will host the final.

The 2025 Arab Cup will be the second edition under FIFA’s jurisdiction, with editions before 2021 organised by the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA).

Here are the host cities and stadiums:

⚽ Lusail City: Lusail Stadium (capacity: 88,966)
⚽ Al Rayyan: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium (capacity: 45,032)
⚽ Al Khor: Al Bayt Stadium (capacity: 68,895)
⚽ Doha: Stadium 974 (capacity: 44,089)
⚽ Education City: Education City Stadium (capacity: 44,667)
⚽ Doha: Khalifa International Stadium (capacity: 45,857)

How many teams are taking part?

Sixteen nations, drawn from both the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), will play in the tournament.

Hosts Qatar and defending champions Algeria, along with the seven highest-ranked nations at the time of the draw in May, all qualified automatically.

The remaining seven slots were filled through a series of single-leg qualification matches held in Qatar this week.

The participating nations have been divided into four groups, as follows:

⚽ Group A: Tunisia, Syria, Qatar, Palestine

⚽ Group B: Morocco, Comoros, Saudi Arabia, Oman

⚽ Group C: Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, United Arab Emirates

⚽ Group D: Algeria, Sudan, Iraq, Bahrain

How did Palestine qualify for Arab Cup?

Palestine edged Libya 4-3 on penalties on Tuesday to secure their place in the Arab Cup, bringing joy to Palestinians in the wake of Israel’s war on Gaza.

The playoff in Doha ended 0-0 after 90 minutes before Palestine held their nerve in the shootout to reach the 16-team tournament.

“This was the toughest playoff match,” coach Ihab Abu Jazar told Al Kass TV. “Libya are strong. Our circumstances and absences made it harder, but we are proud. Football is one of the few things that can bring happiness to Palestinians.

“We are different from other teams. They play to compete, but we play for two goals: to send messages through football and to develop Palestinian football. Our team has become a big name in Asia and was close to reaching the World Cup playoff.

“We play for more than trophies – we play to send a message and bring joy to our people,” he added.

What is the prize money for the Arab Cup?

The 2025 edition will have a record prize money of more than $36.5m, joining the ranks of the world’s major international football tournaments.

The last competition, in 2021, had a reported prize purse of $25.5m.

What is the tournament format?

The top two teams in each group will qualify for the knockout stage, which features the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final. There is also a third-place playoff between the two losing semifinalists.

In the knockout stages, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, it will go to 30 minutes of extra time and, if required, penalties.

Who are the previous champions?

Iraq are the most successful team in the Arab Cup with four titles. Saudi Arabia are the second-most successful nation with two titles, while Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco and Algeria have all won once each.

Algeria are the defending champions, having beaten Tunisia 2-0 in extra time at the 2021 final.

Historically, nations from the Asian Football Confederation (six titles) have won more than the Confederation of African Football teams (four titles).

Why is the Arab Cup important?

Featuring some of the strongest teams, the Arab Cup will give fans a taste of what to expect from Arab nations at next year’s FIFA World Cup.

Seven Arab Cup participants – Qatar, Tunisia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Algeria – will also compete at the FIFA World Cup 2026, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

“The tournament plays an important role in showcasing Arab and Islamic culture to the world,” Algeria striker Baghdad Bounedjah said. “It’s a celebration of our identity and an opportunity to showcase our shared passion for the beautiful game on such a global scale.”

With the revamped World Cup set to feature an expanded 48-team pool, the Arab Cup could be a proving ground for teams aiming to make a deep run on football’s biggest stage.

Who are the favourites to win?

Based on their recent performance in the 2026 World Cup qualification phase, as many as five teams could be considered frontrunners for the title.

Up there is Tunisia, who gathered the most points (28 from a possible 30) among all CAF nations during the World Cup qualifiers, winning nine of the 10 matches to finish top of their group.

Fellow North African neighbours Algeria and Morocco are strong contenders after both qualified for the World Cup by finishing top of their groups. Record seven-time African champions Egypt are also among the favourites.

Jordan, who qualified for the World Cup for the first time, are an underdog pick to win it all.

Who are the top players to watch?

Jordan’s Ali Olwan, the third-highest scorer in the AFC World Cup qualifying with nine goals, will be one to watch in the tournament. Joining him on the list of forwards expected to pose a serious threat is Iraq’s Aymen Hussein, who was tied for fourth-highest goals, with eight.

Fans should also keep an eye on Tunisia’s reliable goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen, who kept six clean sheets as his side went unbeaten without conceding in all 10 of their qualifying fixtures.

Forward Akram Afif, whose name has become synonymous with Qatar’s footballing success in the past decade, is a key player for the host nation, while Saudi Arabia captain Salem Al-Dawsari has been in decent form of late, sitting joint-fourth in the Saudi Pro League’s top assist men.

Where to buy tickets and watch the tournament?

Tickets for the FIFA Arab Cup went on sale on the official ticketing platform at the end of September. Fans can buy tickets for individual matches across three pricing categories, starting at $7.

The tournament also had an option of team-specific packs, which offered three group games of each nation, starting at about $20. However, those are now unavailable.

Tickets for the final, starting at $14, have sold out.

In the Middle East and North Africa, you can watch the entire tournament from December 1 through December 18, exclusively in Arabic and only on beIN SPORTS PPV.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being staged in United States, Canada and Mexico, with Washington, DC hosting December’s draw.

Iran is to boycott next week’s World Cup finals draw in Washington because the United States refused to grant visas to several members of the delegation, the Iranian football federation announced on Friday.

“We have informed FIFA that the decisions taken have nothing to do with sports, and the members of the Iranian delegation will not participate in the World Cup draw,” the federation’s spokesperson told state television.

Iranian sports website Varzesh 3 had claimed on Tuesday that the US had declined to issue visas to several members of the delegation, including the president of the federation, Mehdi Taj.

On Thursday, Taj had denounced the decision as being a political one.

“We have told the head of FIFA, Mr [Gianni] Infantino, that it is purely a political position and that FIFA must tell them [US] to desist from this behaviour,” added Taj.

According to Varzesh 3, four members of the delegation, including Amir Ghalenoei, the coach, had been granted visas for the draw on December 5.

Iran qualified for the sport’s quadrennial showpiece in March, guaranteeing them a fourth successive appearance and seventh in all.

They have yet to progress to the knockout stages, but there was unconfined joy when in the 1998 finals in France, Iran beat the USA 2-1 in their group match.

The US avenged that by beating Iran 1-0 in the 2022 edition.

The US – which is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico – and Iran have been at loggerheads for more than four decades.

They had, though, been holding high-level nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington that had begun in April, during which the two sides were at odds over Iran’s right to enrich uranium – which Tehran defends as “inalienable”.

However, they ended when, in mid-June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, triggering a 12-day war that the US briefly joined, with strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities.

The top four seeded countries will not be able to meet each other until the semi-finals of next year’s World Cup for the first time in the tournament’s history.

Fifa has announced that Spain (1st seed) and Argentina (2) will be ‘paired’ and placed into groups in opposite halves of the draw.

France (3) and England (4) will also be paired, which means England will not be able to come up against Spain or Argentina until the semi-finals, and France until the final.

This only applies if the four countries win their groups.

When two teams are paired, they are placed in opposite halves of the knockout bracket and cannot meet each other until the final. This happens at Wimbledon, and in the new Champions League format, where seeds are kept apart in pairs.

Fifa wants to ensure the top-ranked countries do not meet earlier in the knockout rounds, thus potentially creating blockbuster games later in the tournament. The same ranking system was used for the Club World Cup in the summer.

France knocked England out of the 2022 World Cup with a 2-1 victory in the quarter-finals, while Spain beat the Three Lions in the Euro 2024 final.

The four pots for the final draw, which takes place on Friday, 5 December (17:00 GMT), have also been confirmed.

Scotland will be in pot three, with the six play-off paths – which includes Wales, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Italy – all in pot four.

Debutants Uzbekistan are in pot three, with fellow first-timers Jordan, Cape Verde and Curacao in pot four.

Portugal recovered from a shock loss to Ireland on Thursday to qualify, while Norway is through for the first time since 1998.

Portugal booked their ticket to the 2026 World Cup with a 9-1 victory over Armenia on Sunday, while an Erling Haaland brace rubber-stamped Norway’s place in the global showpiece as they romped to a 4-1 win in Italy.

After being held by Hungary and then stunned by the Republic of Ireland last time out, Portugal sealed top spot in Group F at the third time of asking with a resounding win over bottom-side Armenia.

In the absence of the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo, star midfielders Bruno Fernandes and Joao Neves both scored hat-tricks as the Portuguese ran riot in Porto.

Renato Veiga, Goncalo Ramos and Francisco Conceicao were also on the scoresheet.

“The most important thing was qualifying for the World Cup,” Paris Saint-Germain linchpin Neves told RTP.

“For me, as I always say, the team always comes before the individual. I’m very happy to have scored my first goal for the national team, and my second and third as well.”

Portugal will compete in a seventh consecutive edition of the World Cup, a tournament which the Euro 2016 champions have yet to win.

“We’re at the World Cup! Let’s go, Portugal!” Ronaldo posted on social media.

The striker could miss the start of the tournament depending on whether FIFA extend his suspension beyond the mandatory one-match ban he served against Armenia.

Ireland sewed up the playoff place in the group thanks to Troy Parrott’s 96th-minute hat-trick goal, handing them a 3-2 win over third-placed Hungary.

Daniel Lukacs gave the hosts the lead in Hungary after four minutes, before Parrott levelled from 12 yards shortly afterwards.

Barnabas Varga’s 37th-minute goal looked to have been enough for Hungary to seal second spot until 23-year-old Parrott notched his fourth and fifth international goals this week.

Parrott was the hero with his brace in Thursday’s 2-0 defeat of Portugal, and he struck to equalise again for Ireland with 10 minutes remaining in the Hungarian capital.

The AZ Alkmaar forward then sparked wild Irish celebrations as he prodded home Liam Scales’s knockdown deep into injury time to send Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side into March’s playoffs.

‘Absolutely insane’

Italy needed a miracle in Milan to pip Norway to first place in Group I due to the visitors’ gargantuan goal difference advantage.

Pio Esposito scored early at the San Siro to give the home side the faintest of hopes, but they were unable to again break down stubborn Norwegian defending as Stale Solbakken’s side held firm.

Antonio Nusa levelled just after the hour before Haaland, inevitably, netted twice in 60 seconds to turn the tie on its head. Jorgen Strand Larsen then put gloss on the result in injury time as Norway romped to an eighth win from eight outings.

It will be Norway’s first appearance at the World Cup in 28 years.

“I’m happy, but more relieved. There’s a lot of pressure and stuff, and I feel it. But it’s fun,” Haaland, who netted 16 goals across the campaign, told TV 2.

“It’s indescribable. Absolutely insane. The way we did it is absolutely incredible. It’s huge,” Martin Odegaard said.

Israel beat Moldova 4-1 but finished six points adrift of second-placed Italy, who go into the playoffs.

France booked their place in next year’s tournament in North America with a win over Ukraine earlier in the week, and a much-changed side concluded their campaign with a 3-1 win in Azerbaijan.

Ukraine saw off Iceland 2-0 thanks to two strikes inside the final 10 minutes from Oleksandr Zubkov and Oleksii Hutsuliak to claim second place in Group D.

Thomas Tuchel’s England completed a perfect group-stage performance as they won 2-0 against Albania to finish their campaign with a 100 percent record, featuring 22 goals scored and zero conceded – a European record for a team playing at least six qualifying matches.

“I think it’s as good [a squad] as we’ve ever had,” Harry Kane, who scored both England goals, told ITV.

“I think when you look at the starting 11, you look at the players coming off the bench, we’re going to go into the tournament as one of the favourites.”

With Albania already assured of second place, Serbia beat Latvia 2-1 in a dead-rubber in Group K’s other match.

The next generation of football stars will showcase their talent on the biggest stage when the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025 kicks off in Qatar on Monday.

With an expanded field of 48 teams, the tournament is set to deliver a spectacle unlike any before.

Here’s everything you need to know about the showpiece event:

What are the key dates?

The FIFA U-17 World Cup will be held in Qatar from November 3, with two matches – South Africa vs Bolivia and Costa Rica vs the United Arab Emirates – kicking off the tournament.

The final will be played on November 27, marking the conclusion of the 104-match tournament.

• Group stage: November 3 to 11
• Round of 32: November 14 and 15
• Round of 16: November 18
• Quarterfinals: November 21
• Semifinals: November 24
• Third-place playoff: November 27
• Final: November 27

Where is the tournament being held?

Qatar will host five consecutive U-17 World Cups, starting this year.

At the 2025 edition, all matches up until the final will take place across eight pitches at the Aspire Zone complex in Al Rayyan, about 9km (5.6 miles) from the centre of the capital, Doha.

The final will be played at Khalifa International Stadium, the 45,857-capacity venue that hosted six matches during the men’s FIFA 2022 World Cup. Built in 1976, it is one of Qatar’s oldest stadiums.

This year’s tournament marks the third time the U-17 World Cup has been held in the Arab world, after Egypt hosted in 1997 and the United Arab Emirates in 2013.

How many teams are taking part?

The 2025 U-17 World Cup is the first to be played in the 48-team format instead of the previous biennial 24-team tournaments.

The participating nations, from six confederations, have been divided into 12 groups, as follows:

⚽ Group A: Qatar, Italy, South Africa, Bolivia
⚽ Group B: Japan, Morocco, New Caledonia, Portugal
⚽ Group C: Senegal, Croatia, Costa Rica, United Arab Emirates
⚽ Group D: Argentina, Belgium, Tunisia, Fiji
⚽ Group E: England, Venezuela, Haiti, Egypt
⚽ Group F: Mexico, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Switzerland
⚽ Group G: Germany, Colombia, North Korea, El Salvador
⚽ Group H: Brazil, Honduras, Indonesia, Zambia
⚽ Group I: US, Burkina Faso, Tajikistan, Czechia
⚽ Group J: Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Panama, Republic of Ireland
⚽ Group K: France, Chile, Canada, Uganda
⚽ Group L: Mali, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi Arabia

What is the tournament format?

The top two teams in each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed sides, will qualify for the round of 32.

From there on, the tournament will be played in a knockout format, featuring the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and the final.

Why is the U-17 World Cup important?

Youth World Cups are exciting to watch as they offer a glimpse into football’s future, showcasing young talents before they make their mark on the biggest professional stages.

The U-17 World Cup holds special significance as it often serves as a launchpad for the stars of tomorrow.

Retired and current players like Cesc Fabregas, Toni Kroos, and Phil Foden — who went on to shine in the world’s top football leagues — first caught global attention at the U-17 World Cup, each winning the tournament’s Golden Ball award for the best player.

Who are the favourites to win?

Brazil, aiming for a record-equalling fifth U-17 World Cup, will be the frontrunners in Qatar. Heading into the tournament as the reigning South American champions, Brazil are arguably the best team from the region, having held that crown for a record 14 times.

Nigeria’s failure to qualify for this World Cup means the Brazilians are the most successful team at the 2025 edition.

Other contenders for the title are Portugal, who sealed their third U-17 Euro title in June, and France, who often enjoy a deep run at major tournaments.

Although Germany are the defending World Cup winners from 2023, expectations are low this year after they failed to get past the group stage at the Euros.

Twice World Cup winners Mexico are also the title favourites as they make their eighth successive appearance at the finals, while Asian champions Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia could be the dark horses.

Who are the top players to watch?

Italy’s attacking midfielder Samuele Inacio, the top scorer at the Euros finals with five goals, is one to watch at the tournament. Inacio, who plays for the Borussia Dortmund youth academy, is a constant goal threat thanks to his sublime creativity in the forward line.

France forward Djylian N’Guessan, who scored nine times during the Euro qualifying and finals, is another key player from the region, known for his link-up play, calm finishing and excellent technique. N’Guessan, 17, also played for his nation in the recent U-20 World Cup in Chile.

Although Argentina failed to reach the semifinals at the South American U-17 Championship, striker Thomas de Martis finished as the top scorer with six goals. Clinical in the box and great at finishing, de Martis also possesses excellent aerial ability.

Sadriddin Khasanov, named the most valuable player (MVP) in Uzbekistan’s U-17 Asian Cup triumph for his goal-scoring abilities and impressive skills, is also on the list of must-watch players, alongside Morocco’s midfield maestro Abdellah Ouazane, the player of the tournament during their maiden U-17 Africa Cup of Nations title run.

Where to buy tickets and watch the tournament?

Tickets for the U-17 World Cup are on general sale and can be purchased on FIFA’s official platform. Five types of tickets are available, including a day pass, a dedicated ticket for all of host nation Qatar’s matches, and a standalone final ticket.

A day pass, which provides access to six selected pitches, costs approximately $5.50, while the tickets for the final start at about $4.

Broadcasters for selected territories – including Brazil, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States – have been announced.

Five nations will make history in Qatar by making their debut at the FIFA U-17 World Cup this year 🙌

🇸🇻 El Salvador
🇫🇯 Fiji
🇮🇪 Republic of Ireland
🇺🇬 Uganda
🇿🇲 Zambia pic.twitter.com/oiOyOwyiLj

— FIFA (@FIFAcom) April 19, 2025