Shafaqna English– Palestine’s U-20 Women’s team went from underdogs to champions. When the U-20 West Asian Football Federation Championship kicked off last week, not much was expected from Palestine.
On Saturday (12 Apr 2025) afternoon, Palestine’s U-20 Women’s team did just that. While Palestine’s senior men’s team has been punching above its weight for the past decade, it has been an entirely different story for other teams in the program.
Palestine has been abject in youth football. Since gaining admission to the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA in 1998, Palestine’s men’s and women’s teams have qualified for a single youth tournament, the U-23 Asian Cup.
The gaps have only widened for female sides as other countries in the region invested in the sector, leaving Palestine far behind neighbours Lebanon and Jordan.
When the U-20 West Asian Football Federation Championship kicked off last week, not much was expected from Palestine. Jordan was seen as a heavy favorites due to their home advantage and the absence of Lebanon, the only other side of note in the region.
Source: Arab News