The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against FIFA’s decision not to sanction the Israel Football Association (IFA) over clubs based in West Bank settlements. The move comes after FIFA last month declined to take action, citing the unresolved legal status of the West Bank under international law.
Speaking after the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Vancouver, PFA vice president Susan Shalabi described the decision as “very unjust” and confirmed the appeal was filed on April 20. “Since we have exhausted every legal venue possible at FIFA, we’ll still go by the rules, go by the book, and we’ll appeal that decision,” Shalabi stated. “The (FIFA) council decided after 15 years of deliberations on this issue not to decide. So the only course of action that we have is to go to CAS and to appeal that. We will go through the whole process until we are able to achieve justice.”
CAS has not yet officially announced receipt of the appeal. FIFA and the Israel Football Association have yet to comment on the matter.
Visa Issues Add to Tensions Ahead of FIFA Congress
Shalabi also revealed that several members of the PFA delegation faced significant visa challenges entering Canada for the FIFA Congress, which further heightened tensions. While Shalabi was able to obtain an electronic travel authorisation using a foreign passport, other key members—including the PFA president, general secretary, and legal counsel Gonzalo Boye—encountered delays. She noted that only after considerable pressure and advocacy were visas issued, but Boye was ultimately unable to attend.
The visa difficulties were not isolated to the Palestinian delegation; representatives from Iran’s football association also reportedly faced similar issues, resulting in their absence from the AFC Congress.
“As you can see, it’s a huge event that’s going to happen. We have a World Cup, and it’s good for Canada to have everyone from everywhere able to come and participate in this,” Shalabi said.
Dire Situation for Football in Gaza
Shalabi highlighted the ongoing devastation facing football in Gaza, where, she claimed, “every football structure was either unusable or destroyed.” She added, “We lost so many hundreds of footballers; we lost most of them children. So football now in Gaza, there is no football at all.”
With professional leagues suspended due to safety concerns, the PFA continues efforts to sustain the sport through grassroots and youth competitions, striving to keep football alive amid challenging circumstances.
The appeal to CAS marks the latest chapter in a long-standing dispute over settlement clubs, as the PFA seeks a definitive ruling on a matter unresolved for more than a decade.
