FIFA shakes up the 2025 Arab Cup | OneFootball

2025 Arab Cup: A FIFA-led revolution

FIFA shakes up the 2025 Arab Cup

The FIFA Arab Cup 2025, set to take place in Doha from December 1 to 18, is poised for major changes aimed at boosting its significance on both the regional and international football stages. This marks the second edition held directly under FIFA’s auspices, following the landmark 2021 tournament, which gave the event official recognition for the first time since its inception in 1963.

After the resounding success of the previous edition, FIFA has pledged its support for three more tournaments (2025, 2029, and 2033), provided they all take place in Doha. Among the headline changes, matches at the Arab Cup will now count towards the FIFA World Ranking, even if played outside the official international window. Teams will earn the same points as for an official friendly, raising the competitive stakes considerably.

Another significant innovation: the group stage tiebreaker rule. From now on, the first criterion will be goal difference in head-to-head matches, ahead of overall goal difference—a method never before implemented by FIFA in its competitions. In the case of a complete tie, the FIFA World Ranking will replace the traditional drawing of lots.

On the financial front, the total prize pool is set to rise from $25 million to $36.5 million, underscoring the tournament’s growing appeal.These technical, regulatory, and financial advances confirm the ongoing transformation of the Arab Cup, now a fully recognized tournament with even greater prominence expected for the 2029 and 2033 editions.