FIFA delays decision on Palestine’s bid to suspend Israel from international football
Palestine's starting eleven gather for their national anthem ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup AFC qualifiers football match between Lebanon and Palestine at the Khalid Bin Mohammed Stadium in Sharjah on Nov, 16, 2023. (AFP)
FIFA has once again deferred a decision on Palestine’s bid to suspend Israel from international football, pushing the discussion to October. The Palestine Football Association (PFA) submitted the motion in May, citing Israeli football’s complicity in atrocities committed in Gaza.
FIFA received an independent legal assessment of the PFA’s proposals over a month after the initial deferral. The governing body stated, “This assessment will be sent to the FIFA Council to review in order that the subject can be discussed at its next meeting, which will take place in October.”
The decision had been promised for July, then delayed to August 31, with FIFA citing “requests for extension from both parties.” However, PFA’s Vice President Susan Shalabi revealed that their request was only for a five-day extension, contrary to FIFA’s month-long postponement.
Shalabi expressed frustration, saying, “The issue has been moved from one year to the next, one committee to the next, and one task force to the next.” Israel has denied all accusations, labeling the bid “cynical.”
A timely decision could have impacted Israel’s participation in the men’s football tournament at the Olympics. Multiple independent legal reports had already been submitted to FIFA before the deadline.
The ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces have also killed several athletes and wreaked havoc on sporting infrastructures.
Nearly 400 athletes have been killed including Palestine’s first Olympian Majed Abu Maraheel, according to the Olympic committee.
Palestine’s football association added that 245 of those killed were footballers, including 69 children.
