The President
Asia’s dominance was underlined at the multi-continental showpiece with six AFC teams reaching the quarter-final stage – two more than the previous edition, whilst four Asian sides – Bahrain, Iraq, Palestine and Saudi Arabia – also claimed their maiden triumphs since the tournament transitioned to the FIFA Arab Cup in 2021. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates finished joint-third.
Shaikh Salman said: “On behalf of the Asian football family, we must applaud Jordan on reaching their maiden final. All of our AFC teams displayed incredible determination to showcase their capabilities and they can take great pride in their performances over the last 18 days.
“From their best-ever runners-up finish at the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™, to qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the first time, football in Jordan has made significant progress, so our praise must go to the Jordan Football Association for their historic successes in recent years.”
Turning his attention to the Local Organising Committee, the Qatari Authorities and FIFA, the AFC President also echoed the regional community in pronouncing the 2025 chapter as the best-ever edition to date.
The FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 set new benchmarks and records with spectatorship surpassing the one million mark after the quarter-finals and the Group B contest between Morocco and Saudi Arabia smashing the single match attendance record when 78,131 spectators showcased their undeniable passion at the Lusail Stadium on December 8.
Shaikh Salman added: “Football holds a special place in the hearts and minds of the Arab football community and the defining factor for the new attendance records must be attributed to the state-of-the-art FIFA World Cup infrastructure in Qatar.
“The excitement and energy we have witnessed in Qatar is truly a testament to the organisational excellence brought to bear by FIFA, the LOC and the Qatari Authorities, so we must give them immense recognition for delivering the best-ever edition to date, one that will strengthen the foundations for more success to come.
Photo: Jan Kruger/FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
