Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium

Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium is an association football stadium on Dahiat al'Barid St in Al-Ram, Jerusalem. It is the home stadium of the Palestine national football team. It is named after Faisal Husseini, a Palestinian politician who died in 2001. The stadium seats 12,500.

Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium
Full nameFaisal Al-Husseini International Stadium
LocationAl-Ram, Jerusalem
Coordinates31°50′51″N 35°13′49″E
Capacity12,500 (all seated)
SurfaceArtificial turf
Construction
Renovated2008
Construction costUS$4 million (renovation)
Tenants
Palestine national football team
(2008–present)
Hilal Al-Quds Club

Palestine international matches

On 26 October 2008, the team played Jordan in their first-ever home international in 10 years of FIFA membership. In attendance were FIFA President Sepp Blatter and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.[1] On 29 October 2009, the Palestinian national women's football team played its first home international match against Jordan before a capacity crowd at the stadium.[2]

On 9 March 2011, Palestine "played its first ever competitive match at home in the West Bank". It was the second leg of a qualifier for the 2012 Olympic Games, against Thailand. Thailand had won the first leg 1–0 in Bangkok; Palestine won the second 1–0 at the stadium, with a goal by Abdelhamid Abuhabib in the 43rd minute. The draw on aggregate led to a penalty shootout, with Thailand winning 6–5. Attending the match was Prime Minister Fayyad, who described it as a "historic day".[3]

Palestine 1–0 (1–1 on aggregate) Thailand
Abuhabib  43'
Penalties
5–6
Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium, Al-Ram

On 3 July 2011, the stadium hosted "the first World Cup game ever to be played at home in the Palestinian territories". The game was the second leg of a two-match encounter against Afghanistan, in the first round of the Asian Football Confederation qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The game was a draw, enabling Palestine to advance to the second round on aggregate. Afghanistan were eliminated.[4]

Palestine 1–1 Afghanistan
Wadi  12' Report Arezou  63'
Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium, Al-Ram
Attendance: 9,000

References
  1. "Jordan ties Palestine in historic match". The Jordan Times. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  2. "Palestine women tie Jordan in soccer first". Ma'An News Agency. 26 October 2000. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  3. "Palestinian footballers in bittersweet Olympic match". BBC News. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  4. "Palestinians play first World Cup qualifier at home", BBC, 3 July 2011
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