FIFA Faces Palestinian Criticism Over Delayed Israeli Settlement Club Investigations

Palestinian officials have expressed mounting frustration with FIFA for failing to provide a clear timeline or resolution regarding two investigations into Israeli football, one concerning alleged discrimination by the Israeli Football Association and the other examining whether clubs based in Israeli settlements in the West Bank violate FIFA statutes by participating in national competitions. The Palestinian Football Association, led by Susan Shalabi, has been pressing FIFA for over 15 years to take action against these settlement clubs, emphasizing that the ongoing delays effectively ignore the visible and undeniable problems faced by Palestinians in football. At the FIFA Congress in Asuncion, Shalabi called for FIFA to set a one-month deadline for its Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee to conclude its investigation, demanding enforcement of FIFA’s statutes rather than continued postponements. FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström cited the complexity of the matter and the need for newly elected committee members to be briefed before decisions can be made, but this explanation has been met with criticism and accusations of double standards, especially given FIFA’s swift response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. No representatives from Israel addressed the issue during the Congress, and human rights advocates continue to pressure FIFA to uphold its human rights policies consistently. The dispute highlights the broader geopolitical tensions surrounding Israeli settlements and the international community’s divided views on their legality and legitimacy within global football.