Post by : Mariam
Al-Faris
The FIFA has officially cancelled the third-place playoff match of the Arab Cup between the UAE national team and Saudi Arabia, which was taking place in the Qatari capital, Doha. The decision was announced after severe weather conditions disrupted the match and made it impossible to continue play safely.
The match was being held at Khalifa International Stadium, one of the main venues for the tournament. During the game, heavy rainfall began to fall steadily, leading to water accumulation across several areas of the pitch. As the rain continued, the playing surface became slippery and unsafe for the players, raising concerns about injuries and fair play.
Officials suspended the match to assess the situation, while stadium staff attempted to improve field conditions. However, continuous rain prevented any meaningful recovery of the pitch. After careful inspection and consultation with match officials, FIFA concluded that resuming the game was not possible under the prevailing conditions.
Before the match was abandoned, the first half had been completed without any goals. Both teams competed evenly, but the difficult weather conditions affected the flow of the game as the rain intensified toward the end of the half. The score remained 0-0 at the time of suspension.
FIFA emphasized that player safety was the main reason behind the cancellation. With no clear weather improvement forecast and no suitable alternative time available to replay the match, the governing body decided to cancel the third-place fixture entirely. The decision brought an unexpected end to the contest between the two regional rivals and marked a rare weather-related cancellation in the tournament.
The cancellation was met with understanding from both teams, as extreme weather conditions made continuing the match impossible despite all efforts by organizers.
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