Road to the Arab Cup Semi Finals Begins

The FIFA Arab Cup 2025 enters its knockout phase this evening, with Morocco facing Syria before Palestine meet Saudi Arabia in a heavyweight clash at the iconic Lusail Stadium. After an intense group stage, all four sides now stand just one win away from the semi finals.

At Khalifa International Stadium, the Atlas Lions take on Syria at 5:30 PM. Morocco arrive unbeaten and confident, yet fully aware that knockout football allows no missteps. Forward Walid Azaro spoke about the squad’s mindset heading into the tie, stressing their desire to prolong their journey in what he described as a “beautiful tournament”. “It is a competition with outstanding stadiums and fantastic fans,” he said. “Our mindset is to take each match as it comes. We cannot think ahead. The key now is to focus fully on the Syria match.”

Syria qualified from Group A after grinding out a 0-0 draw with Palestine, an emotional moment that saw both sets of players celebrate together as they advanced side by side. Well organized and hard to break down, the Qasioun Eagles will aim to frustrate Morocco and strike in transition.

Later in the night, the action shifts to Lusail Stadium, host of the 2022 World Cup final, where Palestine meet Saudi Arabia at 8:30 PM. Palestine topped Group A with five points, highlighted by a 1- 0 win over hosts Qatar and spirited draws against Tunisia and Syria. Their resilience and togetherness have been defining features of their campaign.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia finished second in Group B with six points, powered by victories over Oman and Comoros before narrowly falling to Morocco. The Green Falcons hold the historical edge in the head to head with five wins and four draws in nine meetings, including a 5- 0 win in 2021 World Cup qualifying.

Both teams know the stakes. Victory tonight brings a ticket to the semi finals on December 15. Tomorrow, the quarter finals continue with Iraq against Jordan and Algeria against UAE as the road to the final on December 18 tightens further.