Is Palestinian sport seeing a genuine revival – or is it political window dressing?

In Gaza, football was not just a game. It was a space for life and a window of hope for an entire generation. Today, Palestinian sport faces an unprecedented scene of destruction, after Israel’s genocide affected infrastructure, facilities and human resources, amid mounting accusations that international sports institutions have been turning a blind eye to its rights for decades.

This reality opens up four key areas for discussion: the role of the Peace Council, the position of FIFA and international bodies, the controversy over double standards, and the possibility of a return to sportsmanship amid a fragile truce and widespread destruction.

The Peace Council: symbolic support or practical step?

Recent months have seen the announcement of a partnership between the Peace Council and FIFA to rebuild stadiums and academies and develop sports infrastructure in Gaza. Despite the stated ambition, this project faces widespread scepticism given the reality on the ground: a large proportion of facilities and stadiums have been destroyed, and the community is in dire need of basic reconstruction of housing, hospitals and schools before stadiums.

Therefore, many believe that the initiative, while humanitarian in nature, is more of a symbolic gesture than a real reform for Palestinian sport, and may be part of efforts to improve FIFA’s image after sharp international criticism of its inaction towards Israeli violations.

FIFA and Palestinian sport: a long history of turning a blind eye

For decades, FIFA has adopted a policy of passive neutrality towards what Palestinians describe as Israeli occupation violations of Palestinian sport. FIFA has ignored restrictions on the movement of Palestinian players and the targeting of stadiums and sports facilities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the imposition of Israeli clubs in settlements at the expense of Palestinian federations.

Even international calls, demonstrations and petitions demanding sanctions or Israel’s exclusion from FIFA have been met with no response. These calls have intensified since the assassination of nearly 1,000 Palestinian athletes, two-thirds of whom were footballers, highlighting the gravity of the violations for which FIFA has not been held accountable.

In contrast, FIFA quickly excluded Russia from international tournaments in 2022 following its war in Ukraine, which, according to the Palestinians, reflects double standards and a real disregard for Palestinian football rights despite the scale of violations that have continued for many years.

Even the International Olympic Committee has not taken any practical action, despite international calls and demonstrations demanding an end to the violations or the imposition of sanctions, reinforcing the Palestinians’ sense of abandonment in terms of protecting the rights of sport in Palestine.

Human losses and a lost generation

The crisis is not limited to infrastructure. The sports sector has lost nearly 1,000 athletes, more than two-thirds of whom are football players. These losses mean the loss of entire generations of talent and the halting of the development of young players, in addition to the profound psychological and social effects on those who survived.

Experts emphasise that the restoration of Palestinian sport requires long-term programmes that include psychological and social rehabilitation, not just the reconstruction of stadiums.

During periods of relative calm, five-a-side tournaments were held in Gaza as a way to restore the sporting spirit, albeit symbolically. These initiatives carried significant moral weight, but their impact remains limited due to the absence of facilities capable of hosting official tournaments, the damage to entire clubs, and the lack of complete security stability.

Furthermore, according to experts’ estimates, the reconstruction of Gaza could take more than five years, which puts Palestinian sport at the bottom of the list of priorities compared to the urgent need for housing and basic services.

Between reality and what is needed – will sport return to Gaza

International sports institutions remain on the defensive, insisting that they operate within complex legal frameworks, but Palestinians consider this silence or passive neutrality to be indirect complicity, especially in the face of decades of ongoing Israeli violations.

The real challenge of reviving Palestinian football is not limited to building new stadiums, but also includes guaranteeing players’ rights, protecting facilities, restoring lost talent, and comprehensive programmes to rehabilitate the sporting community.

The current truce may bring some of the pulse of sport back to Gaza, but Palestinian football faces existential challenges: stadiums have been reduced to rubble, generations have been lost, and sports personnel are psychologically exhausted.

Restoring the game requires genuine international will, a comprehensive long-term plan, and enormous resources to rebuild both human and physical infrastructure. Football in Palestine is not just a game; it is a symbol of resilience and national identity, and its revival requires more than symbolic promises, but a real commitment to restore the rights that have been taken away from Palestinian sport.

Featured image via the Canary