Arab teams saw mixed fortunes in the final round of Asia's third-stage qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with five out of six advancing to the intercontinental playoff.
The biggest heartbreak came for Palestine, who were knocked out in dramatic fashion after Oman scored a last-gasp equaliser in stoppage time to snatch the final playoff spot.
Meanwhile, there was good news for football fans in Saudi Arabia, where Cristiano Ronaldo might be playing for another season.
Heartbreak for Palestine
A late penalty by Oman shattered the Palestinian national team’s hopes of World Cup qualification, which saw their qualifying game end 1-1 on Tuesday in Amman.
The Palestinian side looked the favourites to win leading up to injury time after the score remained 1-0 for most of the match, following Oday Kharoub’s early second-half goal.
But Palestinian hearts were shattered after Oman’s Issam Al-Sabhi converted a 97th-minute penalty kick after Muhsen Al-Ghassani was brought down inside the area. Ahmad Taha had tugged his shirt, which was picked up by VAR.
The penalty kick levelled the score, putting Oman above Palestine in fourth place in Group B. The Palestinian side needed a win to reach the fourth qualifying spot in Group B.
Palestine had many other chances in the game, with Michel Termanini hitting the bar and a goal by Wessam Ali ruled offside.
The final whistle prompted a tearful reaction from Palestinian players and fans, who have endured multiple hardships due to the ongoing war on Gaza, which has prevented games from being played on home soil, forcing them to make Amman’s King Abdullah II Stadium their temporary home.
Oman joins the UAE, Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia in October’s fourth round - two groups of three teams fighting for the two remaining slots at the expanded 48-team tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada next year.
Five Arab teams qualify for Asian playoff in race to 2026 World Cup
In the final round of the third stage of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, five out of six Arab national teams have advanced to the intercontinental play-offs.
In addition to Oman's progress, Kuwait suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to South Korea, China edged Bahrain 1-0, as Uzbekistan beat Qatar 3-0. The UAE held Kyrgyzstan to a draw, Saudi Arabia fell 2-1 at home to Australia, and Iraq defeated Jordan - already through to their first World Cup - in Amman.
The Arab teams will be joined by Indonesia (Group C) in the playoff round, which will determine the final Asian spots for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Teams from Asia already qualified directly for the 2026 World Cup are Iran and Uzbekistan (Group A), South Korea, Jordan (Group B) and Japan, as well as Australia (Group C).
Cristiano Ronaldo confirms Al-Nassr stay
Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed he will remain at Saudi club Al-Nassr next season, putting an end to rumours linking him with a short-term move for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
While on international duty with Portugal, the 40-year-old addressed growing speculation about a potential summer switch, with his current contract set to expire. Ronaldo had been linked with several participating teams in the restructured Club World Cup, including a possible reunion with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami and an offer from Brazilian side Fluminense.
Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel even urged his former club to bring Ronaldo to Stamford Bridge, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino hinted at ongoing discussions during a surreal livestream with YouTuber IShowSpeed, suggesting Ronaldo could still feature in the tournament.
"There are discussions with some clubs... who knows, who knows," Infantino said.
The mini transfer window for the tournament, running from 1 to 10 June, sparked interest from multiple sides seeking to bolster their squads with one of football’s most iconic figures, but Ronaldo stated he will honour his commitment to Al-Nassr.
That decision ends speculation of a marquee Club World Cup cameo and ensures Ronaldo will not feature alongside other global stars such as Messi, Haaland, or Mbappé in FIFA’s new-format tournament.
Ronaldo’s decision provides clarity on his immediate future, reaffirming his loyalty to the Saudi Pro League club despite interest from across the footballing world.