Moroccan national team player, Younes Belhanda. Pic: SC News
Doha, Qatar: International player Younes Belhanda expressed his happiness at joining his national team to participate in the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025, which will be held from December 1 to 18.
Belhanda, who plays in the Qatar Stars League with Al Shamal Club, said that playing for the Moroccan national team means a lot to him, it is a great honor to join the team in international tournaments, especially in the Arab Cup.
Belhanda has previously played 59 international matches for Morocco, scoring five goals since his debut in 2010.
He added that the tournament is not just about matches between national teams, but competitions under the umbrella of brotherhood and fair play to crown the best team, stressing that he is proud to play for his country, and undoubtedly all teams will do their utmost to raise their nation's name and fill fans with pride and joy.
Belhanda also praised Qatar's efforts in developing world-class sports infrastructure, saying he has never seen such impressive infrastructure before, especially with the cooling technology inside stadiums that allows players to perform in all seasons. The high quality of the stadiums is also remarkable.
The FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 draw placed the Moroccan team in Group B alongside Saudi Arabia, with two more teams to join from qualifiers between Oman vs. Somalia and Comoros vs. Yemen.
The tournament matches will be held in Ahmed Bin Ali, Education City, Khalifa International, and Stadium 974. All stadiums previously hosted matches during the historic FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Sixteen teams will participate in the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025, with nine teams qualifying directly, while 14 teams will compete for the remaining seven spots in a series of qualifiers scheduled for November 25 and 26 in Qatar.
In addition to this year's edition, Qatar will also host the Arab Cup again in 2029 and 2033.
