FIFA officially cancelled the third-place playoff match of the 2025 Arab Cup between the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Thursday, December 18, after heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and lightning rendered the pitch at Khalifa International Stadium unplayable and unsafe.
The highly anticipated Gulf derby ended goalless at halftime before being suspended for over 150 minutes. Despite efforts by approximately 100 maintenance workers to drain standing water and two extended 30-minute stoppages approved by Chilean referee Cristian Garay, conditions did not improve sufficiently.
Both coaches – Cosmin Olaroiu of the UAE and Hervé Renard of Saudi Arabia – ultimately refused to resume play, prioritizing player safety amid heightened injury risks on the waterlogged surface. FIFA then declared the match cancelled.
The UAE Football Association confirmed the decision, noting the absence of clear provisions in the tournament regulations for such exceptional weather events.
The organising committee announced that a detailed report will be submitted to determine the third-place ranking, with a replay the following day deemed highly unlikely and no draw planned. The tournament concludes later Thursday with the final between Jordan and Morocco at Lusail Stadium.
Before the suspension, the match showed promise: UAE’s Ali Saleh forced a rebound early, but Yahya Al Ghassani missed the follow-up in the 12th minute. Saudi Arabia had a goal from Salem Al Dawsari disallowed for offside, with both sides creating chances in a competitive first half.
The UAE had reached the playoff after a 0-3 semifinal loss to Morocco, while Saudi Arabia fell 0-1 to Jordan. The cancellation marks an unfortunate end to what was set to be a fierce rivalry clash for bronze in the FIFA-recognized tournament hosted by Qatar.
