Ottawa, May 1, 2026 (WAFA) – The head of the Palestinian Football Association, Lieutenant General Jibril Rajoub, said that the association has turned to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a move aimed at resolving the ongoing controversy regarding Israeli violations of international football regulations.
In his address to the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada, he confirmed that the Palestinian Football Association had submitted a formal appeal to the court on April 22, 2026, and would complete its legal procedures accordingly, stressing that the aim of this step was not confrontation but to “correct the course” and ensure the application of the laws to all federations without exception .
Rajoub said: “I stand before you today with all due respect to this conference, to FIFA regulations, and to due process, and I speak on behalf of those whose voices are not heard in this hall: the Palestinian children, players, coaches, and referees who have long been denied their right to play football on their land, a child who lost his teammate, a family who lost their son, a club without a stadium, and a community deprived of the simplest enjoyment of the game.”
He added that the Palestinian Federation has only asked over the years for the rules adopted within FIFA to be applied equally, without any political favoritism or exceptions, and he raised the issue again during the seventy-fourth conference in Bangkok, demanding that the participation of Israeli settlement clubs in competitions affiliated with the Israeli Football Association in the Palestinian territories without the approval of the Palestinian Federation be addressed, in addition to raising the issue of discrimination and racism within the structure of Israeli football .
He explained that FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the issue at the time as “urgent,” before the file was referred for further action at the 75th Congress. The Palestinian Federation requested that the investigation be concluded and a clear decision made, but the response was limited to confirming that the process was still ongoing, and we respected those procedures.
He added that the facts are no longer theoretical, noting that FIFA’s disciplinary committee concluded that there were “serious violations” of the regulations, which contradict the principles of equality, non-discrimination and governance, and described what is happening as “systemic failure and institutional collusion,” descriptions which he considered to be issued by the competent authorities within FIFA and not Palestinian claims .
He pointed out that March 19 witnessed a clear paradox, as the FIFA Council decided not to make a decision on the Palestinian proposal, while the Israeli Federation was fined 150,000 Swiss francs under the discrimination article, considering that this reflects a contradiction between acknowledging the existence of violations and not taking decisive action to address them .
He explained that the situation on the ground has not changed, as settlement clubs continue to participate in competitions organized by the Israeli Federation within the territories of another federation without its consent, in violation of Articles 64 and 65 of the FIFA Statutes, noting the continued suffering of Palestinian players from exclusion, and the continued unresolved issue of the safety of the Palestinian Federation’s territories .
Rajoub stressed that the Palestinian Federation is not asking FIFA to resolve a political dispute or demarcate borders, but only to apply its laws, explaining that the West Bank and Jerusalem are not considered Israeli territory according to international law, and that allowing competitions to be held on the territory of another federation without its consent sets a precedent that may extend to all member federations .
He added that there is another aspect related to discrimination policies, as sports and recreational activities are organized within the settlements that are exclusively for Israelis, according to what human rights organizations have reported. He pointed out that international institutions have criticized FIFA and called for the exclusion of settlement clubs, but their continued participation raises questions about the messages that the international federation is sending .
He stressed that the absence of deterrent penalties despite proven violations weakens confidence in the FIFA system and gives the impression of double standards in applying the rules, adding that FIFA is not based solely on revenues, but on confidence in its principles and its commitment to human rights and equality between federations .
He explained that the Palestinian Federation complied with all legal procedures, provided evidence, participated in investigations, and appealed decisions, expressing his hope that FIFA would be able to address the issue internally without the need for further escalation, despite the current recourse to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) .
Rajoub expressed his hope that the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico would represent a celebration of football’s values of dignity and respect, stressing the need for FIFA to face reality when football is used as a tool for exclusion or to perpetuate inequality, rather than as a means of unity .
He stressed that what is needed is not more measures but the application of laws, adding that FIFA’s credibility is demonstrated by its ability to implement its principles even in difficult circumstances, and that protecting the territorial integrity of federations should include the Palestinian federation as well, and that the prohibition of discrimination should be effective, not theoretical.
He stressed that ignoring the violations would turn them into precedents and then into established policies, calling for a fair and proportionate solution that preserves the rights of all federations, expressing his hope that the Palestinian Federation would not have to request a vote within the Congress in the future, but rather that FIFA would take the “right and courageous” decision that guarantees justice and preserves the principles of the game.
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