A record number of Arab nations have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026, marking an unprecedented milestone and underlining the region’s growing influence in global football.

The achievement, of eight nations, represents a sharp rise in representation. As recently as the FIFA World Cup 2022 and FIFA World Cup 2018, only four Arab teams featured in each edition, while earlier tournaments often saw just one or two sides qualify.

All eight teams recently competed in the FIFA Arab Cup 2025, which served as a preparatory stage despite some squads missing Europe-based players. The final saw Morocco national football team defeat Jordan national football team 3-2, highlighting the region’s competitive depth ahead of the global showpiece.

The expanded Arab presence comes with heightened ambition, particularly after Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals in 2022 demonstrated that teams from the region can compete at the highest level.

Among the qualifiers, Jordan will make their World Cup debut, while traditional contenders such as Algeria national football team, Egypt national football team and Iraq national football team return aiming to improve on past performances. Qatar national football team, hosts in 2022, have qualified on merit this time, while Saudi Arabia national football team and Tunisia national football team seek to progress beyond the group stage.

Historically, Arab participation at the World Cup dates back to Egypt national football team in 1934, while Morocco became the first Arab side to reach the knockout stages in 1986. Their fourth-place finish in 2022 remains the benchmark for the region.

With eight teams now set to compete, expectations have shifted from symbolic participation to genuine contention, as Arab nations aim not only to match past achievements but to push deeper into the tournament than ever before.

Ben Roberts-Smith, a former Australian Defence Force soldier, has publicly denied war crimes allegations linked to his service in Afghanistan, saying he is determined to clear his name.

Roberts-Smith, 47, who served with the elite Special Air Service (SAS), was released on bail this week after being charged with five counts of war crimes. The charges relate to the alleged killing of five unarmed Afghan civilians between 2009 and 2012. Each count carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Speaking to media on Queensland’s Gold Coast on Sunday, he said he had always acted within the rules of engagement.

“I categorically deny all of these allegations,” Roberts-Smith said. “While I would have preferred these charges not be brought, I will be taking this opportunity to finally clear my name. I’m proud of my service in Afghanistan.”

Prosecutors allege the victims were detained, unarmed and under the control of Australian forces at the time of their deaths, and were not participating in hostilities. They opposed bail, citing concerns he could contact witnesses.

A judge granted bail after noting the case may take years to reach trial, following more than a week in custody.

The allegations first emerged in 2018 through investigative reporting by Australian media. In 2023, Roberts-Smith lost a defamation case, with a court finding on the balance of probabilities that he was involved in the killing of four Afghan civilians.

The case is ongoing.

The Afghanistan Embassy in Moscow has announced that a high-level meeting between Afghan diplomats and senior Russian officials took place to explore opportunities for expanding banking and economic cooperation.

Ambassador Gul Hassan Hassan represented Afghanistan in the talks, meeting with Vladimir Chistyukhin, the First Deputy Governor of Russia’s Central Bank.

During the discussion, both sides emphasized the importance of strengthening banking relations and broadening economic cooperation. Ambassador Hassan highlighted key areas for collaboration, including the development of Afghanistan’s banking sector, expanding technical cooperation, and providing professional training. He also proposed establishing direct banking ties and streamlining financial transfers to benefit Afghan traders.

In response, the Russian delegation expressed its strong support for Afghanistan’s efforts to enhance its banking infrastructure. Chistyukhin assured the Afghan side that Russia would continue to assist in building a more robust financial system in Afghanistan, offering both technical support and facilitation measures to improve financial exchanges between the two countries.

This meeting marks a significant step toward deepening financial and economic ties between Afghanistan and Russia, with potential benefits for both nations’ economies.