Palestinian football to restart after Gaza war pause

The Palestinian football association said Monday that league activity will resume on September 4 after a nearly three-year pause during the Gaza war.

Association president Jibril Rajoub announced the restart at a press conference in Ramallah. Palestinian sports leagues, including professional football, had stopped after the war began following Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

The association has named the first tournament back the “Thousand Martyrs' Cup”. It said the name honours 1,014 Palestinian athletes it says were killed by Israel during the war.

More than 200 clubs will compete, including 146 from the Israeli-occupied West Bank, 44 from Gaza and 36 from Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, the association said. The tournament is due to start at the same time in the three locations.

Rajoub said the war had created difficult conditions for Palestinians and forced the suspension of competitions and activities. He also called on FIFA and other federations to support Palestinian sport and protect the rights of players, clubs and children to play sport.

The association has called on FIFA to impose sanctions on Israeli clubs that operate in West Bank settlements and to suspend Israel's FIFA membership over Israel's conduct in Gaza. Rajoub said the association was seeking rights guaranteed by international sporting rules and charters, not privileges.