This article was originally published by Ma'an News and is republished with permission.

A player from the Hilal Al-Quds (Jerusalem) team attempts to steal the ball from his opponent during a match in Al-Khader stadium, near Bethlehem. FIFA is set to inaugurate Palestine's first international-standard stadium this week. (Haytham Othman, Maan Images)

Joseph S. Blatter, the president of FIFA - football's Zurich-based world governing body - kicked off the first-ever Palestinian home game between Palestine and Jordan at the newly inaugurated Faisal Al-Husein Football Stadium in Ar-Ram, east of Jerusalem, at 5:30pm on Sunday.

Blatter arrived along with a delegation in Jericho on Sunday morning from the Jordanian capital Amman.

The opening of the stadium will allow the Palestinian football team to play home games in Palestine for the first time ever. Home games were previously played in Jordan, Qatar and other Arab countries. The team is looking forward to having not only a properly equipped stadium for home-games, but also improved facilities for regular practice.

Just before the game, de facto Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh called the head of the Palestinian Football Association to wish the team luck. Haniyeh is an avid football fan and supporter of teams in Gaza.

FIFA's Goal program has financed, in part, the renovation and construction of two football stadiums, one in Ar-Ram and the other in Al-Bireh, east of Ramallah as well as the purchase of equipment for the teams.

While the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) headquarters is based in Gaza, FIFA plans to finance a pitch in Gaza City have been stalled since 2006.

The PFA regularly has teams in the West Bank and Gaza which compete locally before facing off for the national title. Since 2006, however, no teams from the Gaza Strip or Gazan players have played for Palestine on the international level, and competition has been limited to the West Bank leagues.

The delegation that opened the West Bank stadiums on Sunday included President of the Asian Football Federation Muhammad Ibn Hammam, Vice President of the JFF Nidal Al-Hadid and several football representatives from the United Arab Emirates, who arrived on Saturday afternoon and were hosted by Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in his office in Ramallah.

Prince Ali Ibn Al-Hussein, the president of the JFF was scheduled to arrive in Ramallah via helicopter, but cancelled his trip at the last minute, sending regrets via his delegation.

The delegation was hosted by President of the PFA Jibreel Rajoub, Head of the Palestinian Civil Affairs Department Hussein Ash-Sheikh, Chief Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erekat and members of the PFA.