Australia to donate fees from 2026 World Cup qualifier to Gaza

Australia to donate fees from 2026 World Cup qualifier to Gaza

The Socceroos' donation will be made through the Professional Footballers Australia's Footballers' Trust.

Australia topped their 2026 World Cup qualifying group following a 7-0 win over Bangladesh yesterday. (AAP Image/AP pic)
MELBOURNE:
Australia will donate part of their match fees from a World Cup 2026 qualifier against Palestine in Kuwait City on Tuesday towards humanitarian efforts in Gaza.

The Socceroos’ donation will be a five-figure sum and will be made through the Professional Footballers Australia’s Footballers’ Trust. The donation will be provided to Oxfam and will be matched by Football Australia.

The match between Palestine and Australia had been scheduled to be played in the West Bank, but officials switched the venue to the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait after Israeli forces attacked Gaza in retaliation for an Oct 7 assault by Hamas fighters on southern Israel.

Israel says Hamas killed 1,200 people and took about 240 hostages. Gaza health authorities say more than 11,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli counter-offensive.

Australia, ranked 27th in the world and fourth in Asia, topped their qualifying group following a 7-0 win over Bangladesh. World No 96 Palestine are third after drawing with Lebanon.

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