Qatar will donate ticket revenue from AFC Asian Cup football tournament to support Palestine
- Organisers to provide ‘urgently needed medical and food relief to Palestinians through partners’, according to statement
- Qatar fans waved Palestinian flags in the stands during a Fifa World Cup qualifier last week against Afghanistan
Ticket revenue from football’s Asian Cup in Qatar early next year will be donated to support emergency relief for Palestine.
The move was announced in a statement on Monday from the organising committee for the Asian Football Confederation’s showpiece international tournament, which is set to take place from January 12 to February 10.
Qatar took on hosting rights last year after China – originally set to stage the event in June and July this summer – withdrew because of the country’s strict Covid-19 policies.
Organisers said their move to support Palestine was in line with the concept that “football promotes social development”.
The organising committee will use ticket sales to provide “urgently needed medical and food relief to Palestinians through its partners”.
Tickets for the second phase of the Asian Cup went on sale on Monday. The first phase of tickets completely sold out, according to organisers, with more than 150,000 bought.