ZURICH, Switzerland — Global football governing body FIFA has ruled that it will take no action against Israeli clubs accused of operating in Palestinian territory, while separately sanctioning the Israel Football Association for breaches of its anti-discrimination and fair-play rules.
The decisions followed a recent FIFA Council meeting, which reviewed issues raised by the Palestine Football Association at the 74th FIFA Congress held in Bangkok in May 2024.
Okay News reports that one of the key issues examined was whether Israeli football clubs based in settlements in the West Bank should be allowed to compete under the Israeli football system.
FIFA said it relied on findings from its Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee, which concluded that no action should be taken due to the unresolved legal status of the territory.
“FIFA should take no action given that, in the context of the interpretation of the relevant provisions of the FIFA Statutes, the final legal status of the West Bank remains an unresolved and highly complex matter under public international law,” the organisation said.
The issue of Israeli settlement clubs has remained a longstanding point of contention, with Palestinian football authorities arguing that teams based in territories claimed for a future Palestinian state should not participate in competitions organised by Israel.
In a separate development, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee imposed sanctions on the Israel Football Association following an investigation into racism and discrimination within domestic football.
The body said the association failed to adequately address persistent racist behaviour by supporters of certain clubs, including Beitar Jerusalem, as well as inflammatory public statements linked to football stakeholders.
As part of the disciplinary action, the Israel FA was fined 150,000 Swiss francs (approximately $190,621) and ordered to implement a comprehensive anti-discrimination programme.
The measures include mandatory educational campaigns, enhanced monitoring mechanisms, and the requirement to display anti-discrimination banners during its next three A-level FIFA competition home matches.
