The Palestinian Football Association officially announced on August 25 that sports activities and the national championship will resume on September 4, ending a nearly three-year suspension due to Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
At a press conference in Ramallah, Association President Jibril Rajoub said: “We announce the resumption of sports activities and the association's tournaments starting from September 4.”
Palestinian sports competitions, including professional football, had been halted after the conflict erupted on October 7, 2023.
The first tournament to return is named the “Martyrs' Cup” in memory of 1,014 Palestinian athletes killed in the war, according to association figures.
More than 200 clubs will participate, including 146 teams from the West Bank, 44 from Gaza, and 36 from Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. The opening ceremony is expected to take place simultaneously at three venues.
Rajoub stressed that the war “created difficult conditions for all Palestinians, leading to the suspension of our tournaments and activities.” However, he affirmed: “We have not lost the Palestinian national will, nor our belief that sport will always be a symbol of hope and life.”
The association's leadership also acknowledged that clubs and federations face difficult financial conditions. He called on FIFA and other international sports federations to support Palestinian sports and protect the right of players, clubs, and children to play sport in “freedom and dignity.”
Earlier, the association issued a statement regarding FIFA President Gianni Infantino's now-withdrawn plan to open tournaments to private investors, saying that “many are now questioning FIFA's commercial direction.”
“But for Palestine, the issue is more fundamental… Our question is whether FIFA still has the courage to apply its rules equally to everyone without yielding to political pressure,” Rajoub said.
The Palestinian Football Association has repeatedly called on FIFA to impose sanctions on Israeli clubs operating in West Bank settlements and to suspend Israel's membership over its actions in Gaza. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law.
“We are not asking for privileges; we are demanding legal rights guaranteed by international law and sports regulations,” Rajoub emphasized.
