12/3/2024–|Last updated: 12/3/202407:24 PM (Mecca time)
The Palestinian Football Association relieved the first team coach, Makram Daboub, from his duties, according to what was announced Tuesday on his official account on the X website.
The federation wrote in a post that its president, Lieutenant General Jibril Rajoub, “thanks Captain Makram Daboub and his technical staff, and announces the appointment of a new technical staff for the Fedayeen, led by Captain Ihab Abu Jazar, assisted by Captain Firas Abu Radwan and Captain Muhammad Al-Dajjani.”
Rajoub thanked the Tunisian coach, noting that “the achievements achieved by the Palestinian team during the previous period were achieved during the era of coach Makram.”
Dabboub has worked “semi-voluntarily” with the Palestinian national team for 14 years, and Rajoub said, “Dabboub will remain with us, but change is necessary.”
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Lieutenant General Gabriel Rajoub, President of the Palestinian Football Association, thanks Captain Makram Daboub and his technical staff, and announces the appointment of a new technical staff for the Fedayeen, led by Captain Ihab Abu Jazar, assisted by Captain Firas Abu Radwan and Captain Muhammad Al-Dajjani.#Palestine #SaveGaza #WorldCup2026 #We_are_all_my_commander #Gaza pic.twitter.com/hvdxlarYCC– Palestinian Football Association (@PSFA28) December 3, 2024
The Palestinian national team’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup diminished, as it did not achieve any victory in 6 matches in the third round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
The third round began with a promising draw in South Korea 0-0, but lost to Jordan 1-3 and Iraq 0-1, then tied with Kuwait 2-2, and lost to Oman 0-1, before drawing again with South Korea 1- 1.
The team is at the bottom of the second group with three points, 11 points behind leaders Korea and 8 behind runner-up Iraq, noting that the first two teams qualify directly to the finals, and the third and fourth teams go into a qualifying play-off.
Daboub (51 years old) took over as coach of Palestine in 2021, and led it to qualify for the last Asian Cup in Qatar, where it reached the round of 16 for the first time in its history.
The Palestinian national team had previously announced its adherence to its right to play on its home soil, but the security conditions that the region has been experiencing for more than 13 months prevented that.
But Rajoub said in the press conference, “We adhere to our right to the home stadium, and we insist that our matches be played in our stadium.”
