AFC Challenge Cup 2012: Know the Participating Team: Palestine

Palestine is a "different country" in world football. Despite entering in the international football in 1953, they couldn't play many games due to political tension with Isarel. The Palestine Football Federation was founded in 1952. Its successor, the Palestine Football Association, was recognized by FIFA in 1998, after the creation of the Palestinian Authority.

Palestine are grouped with Nepal, Maldives and Turkmenistan in Group A of AFC Challenge Cup. They will take on hosts Nepal in the opening match on 8th of March at Dasrath Stadium. Currently they are touring UAE for the preparation of AFC Challenge Cup. They have already played a friendly match against UAE which they lost 0-3. They played  another friendly match against Ajerbaijan  and won the match by 2-0.

Nickname: Al Fursan (The Knights), Al Fida'i (The Fighters)

FIFA Ranking: The team reached an all-time high position of 115 in the FIFA ranking system in April 2006 after seven years of progression from 191st in August 1999. Following their recognition by FIFA, the team played no official fixtures in the Palestinian Territories due to security concerns until a match on October 26, 2008 against Jordan in the newly renovated Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium in Al-Ram north of Jerusalem, which finished in a 1–1 draw. In recognition of their efforts the Palestinian Football Federation was awarded FIFA's inaugural Development Award. They are currently ranked at 162nd position.

Kit:  Home Color is red shirts and black shorts, Red shocks. Away color is white shirt and black shorts. 

Coach: Jamal Mahmoud is the head coach of the team.

Player To Be Watched: Fahed Attal is the player to be watched in Palestine squad. He is the second leading all-time scorer in the history of the Palestine national football team behind fellow striker Ziyad Al-Kord with 12 goals in 16 games. All of Attal's goals with the national team came in the 2006 calendar year earning him recognition from IFFHS International Federation of Football History and Statistics which cited Attal as the World's 8th leading scorer of international goals on par with the likes of David Villa and Bastian Schweinsteiger. Attal was also included in the Asian Football Confederation shortlist of 10 players for the 2006 AFC Player of the Year Award So far, Palestine has an undefeated record when Fahed Attal finds the back of the net.

Supporters: Palestinians are football lovers but their supporters hardly travel with the team to support the team. 

World Cup record:

1930 to 1998 – Did not enter
 2002 - Did not qualify
 2006 - Did not qualify
 2010 – Did not qualify
 2014 - Did not qualify

Asian Cup record:

1956 - 1996 - Did not enter
2000 - Did not qualify
2004 - Did not qualify
2007 - Did not qualify
2011 - Did not qualify

AFC Challenge Cup record:

2006 Quarterfinals
2008 Withdrew
2010 - Qualifying Stage
2012 - Qualified

First International Match: Palestine played their first match against Egypt which they lost 1-8 in July 26, 1953.

Biggest Win: Palestine hammered Guam 11-0 in April 1, 2006 in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Biggest Defeat: 8-1 defeat at the hands of Eygpt is still the biggest loss for them in International football.

Palestine are grouped with Nepal, Maldives and Turkmenistan in Group A of AFC Challenge Cup.