How football's governing bodies support illegal Israeli settlement clubs

How football's governing bodies support illegal Israeli settlement clubs Submitted by Mahmoud Elsobky on Tue, 08/25/2026 - 13:25 While Palestinian facilities are either destroyed or crippled by Israeli checkpoints, Fifa and Uefa are continuing to prop up Israeli settlement teams Israeli players from the Ironi Ariel football club attend a training session at their stadium in the illegal Israeli settlement of Ariel in the occupied West Bank on 21 September 2016 (Jack Guez/AFP) Off Football in the occupied West Bank has been brought to a near standstill since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza . Palestinian players struggle to reach training grounds, matches are routinely cancelled because of checkpoints and military closures, and hundreds of sports facilities have either been damaged or destroyed. But in illegal Israeli settlements, Israeli football teams are thriving, with players continuing to train and compete while clubs expand their facilities.