The Palestine Football Association (PFA) has issued a scathing rebuke of FIFA, accusing the global governing body of “double standards” and a profound lack of “institutional courage” in a statement that links the ongoing conflict in Gaza to FIFA’s recent governance controversies.
The PFA’s strong words come as FIFA President Gianni Infantino faces increasing scrutiny, particularly following his aborted plan to create FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE), a commercial subsidiary intended to sell shares in the World Cup to private investors. Public outcry ultimately forced Infantino to scrap the FFE initiative, with UEFA declaring a lack of confidence in his leadership and Wales becoming the first nation to officially withdraw support ahead of the 2027 election.
Gaza’s devastating impact on football
For the PFA, however, the issues extend far beyond commercial direction. Their statement, shared on the PFA website, details the catastrophic impact of the conflict in Gaza on Palestinian football, highlighting an existential threat to the sport within the territory. According to the PFA:
- More than 1013 footballers, coaches, referees, officials, and members of the football family have been killed in Gaza.
- Stadiums, training grounds, and vital football infrastructure have been systematically destroyed.
- Domestic competitions have been brought to a complete halt.
- Unlike 210 other FIFA member associations, Palestine’s national teams cannot enjoy the freedom to play at home.
“Silence, when a genocide is being committed live, amounts to complicity,” the PFA declared, directly challenging FIFA’s inaction and perceived indifference to the crisis.
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Unresolved issues and calls for principled leadership
The PFA’s grievances are not new, with the association stating it has placed its trust in FIFA’s current leadership twice since 2015, believing in a commitment to consistent application of statutes and respect for member rights. Yet, they argue, fundamental issues brought before FIFA for more than fifteen years remain “trapped in an endless cycle of reviews, reports and procedural delays.”
A key point of contention is the “continued participation of clubs based in Israeli illegal settlements established on occupied Palestinian territory.” The PFA notes that while FIFA has deliberated on this matter, the number of such settlement clubs affiliated with the Israeli Football Association has actually increased. Furthermore, the PFA, the sole FIFA-recognised governing body in Palestine, was ignored and not consulted in recent initiatives concerning football development in Gaza, which were pursued through engagement with a “non-football purely-political entity.”
The Palestine Football Association’s statement, reported by GiveMeSport, concludes by emphasizing that their concern is not merely who leads FIFA, but “whether FIFA is once again prepared to lead by principle.” They question whether the institution still possesses “the institutional courage to uphold its own Statutes equally, without hesitation and without political submission.”
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