Key facts
- Illegal Israeli settlement football clubs are participating in Israeli domestic competitions with the backing of the Israel Football Association (IFA).
- Fifa and Uefa continue to recognize and financially support the IFA.
- Palestinian football facilities have been damaged or destroyed, and matches are routinely cancelled due to Israeli military actions.
- Fifa+ broadcasts matches from settlement clubs, generating revenue for Fifa.
- Fifa declined to take action against settlement clubs following a complaint from the Palestinian Football Association.
An investigation by Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) and Bridges Investigations for Middle East Eye has revealed that football clubs based in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are thriving and participating in Israeli domestic competitions, with the backing of the Israel Football Association (IFA).
This stands in stark contrast to the situation for Palestinian players, whose football activities have been severely disrupted by the ongoing conflict. Palestinian players face significant challenges in reaching training grounds, with matches routinely cancelled due to checkpoints and military closures. Hundreds of sports facilities in the besieged enclave and the occupied West Bank have been damaged or destroyed since Israel launched its war on Gaza.
Despite Fifa's stated commitment to human rights, the organization has not taken action against settlement clubs. Furthermore, Fifa's own platform, Fifa+, broadcasts matches involving these clubs, generating revenue for the global governing body. This occurs even as international law, specifically Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, prohibits an occupying power from transferring its civilian population into occupied territory.
Palestinian players like Mahdi al-Assi describe arduous journeys to training sessions, often being turned back at checkpoints for no reason. Susan Shalabi, vice-president of the Palestinian Football Association, explained that the league has been suspended because it's impossible to schedule matches with the constant threat of gates being shut and towns sealed off.
Clubs in settlements, such as FC Ironi Ariel, are receiving significant investment for facility upgrades, including Fifa-standard artificial turf. This situation has persisted since 2013, with Fifa reportedly directing complaints to the UN, which recognizes the territories as occupied.
Fifa's Disciplinary Committee recently declined to act on a complaint filed by the Palestinian Football Association regarding the participation of settlement clubs, citing the "unresolved legal status of the West Bank under public international law."