FIFA has long proclaimed itself as a global guardian of human rights within the world of football. Its 2017 Human Rights Policy pledges to uphold dignity, equality, and inclusion, and to ensure football is a force for good, even in the most politically sensitive situations. But when it comes to Israel’s treatment of Palestinians—and particularly its devastating impact on Palestinian football—FIFA’s principles collapse under the weight of double standards and political caution.
With the FIFA Congress 2025 approaching, a fresh and urgent demand has been put forward: ban Israel from participating. This time, the call is louder, broader, and backed by clear evidence of violations that strike at the heart of FIFA’s own statutes.
A POLICY OF SELECTIVE MORALITY
FIFA’s Human Rights Policy, adopted in 2017, outlines ten core commitments, including:
- Respect for internationally recognized human rights
- Non-discrimination and equality
- Protection of children in football
- Freedom of expression and peaceful association
- Protection from abuse and access to remedy
FIFA vowed not to be complicit in any human rights violations and promised to leverage its influence on all 211 member associations. But Israel continues to be an exception to the rule.
GROUND ZERO: PALESTINIAN FOOTBALL UNDER ATTACK
Palestinian football has endured decades of systemic oppression:
- Players like Mahmoud Sarsak have been jailed without trial.
- Football stadiums in Gaza, including the Palestine Stadium, have been bombed multiple times.
- Clubs and youth training centres are underfunded, surveilled, or shut down.
- Travel restrictions, military checkpoints, and regular raids make hosting matches near impossible.
- Dozens of footballers have been killed or injured in Israeli military actions.
These aren’t isolated incidents—they are part of a long-standing pattern that undermines football development in occupied Palestine.
FIFA CONGRESS 2025: THE PUSH TO BAN ISRAEL
The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) has formally submitted a motion demanding Israel’s suspension from FIFA, citing:
- Ongoing war crimes in Gaza, including the deaths of hundreds of athletes
- The deliberate destruction of sports infrastructure
- Israeli clubs operating in illegal settlements, violating FIFA statutes which prohibit clubs from operating on another association’s territory without permission
This move is not just symbolic—it’s supported by national football associations from Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Yemen.
The PFA’s appeal mirrors historic FIFA decisions, such as:
- The banning of South Africa during apartheid
- The expulsion of Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine
If FIFA was willing to act swiftly and decisively in those cases, what justifies its silence on Israel?
ISRAEL’S DEFENSE: “THIS IS POLITICS”
The Israel Football Association (IFA) argues that:
- No FIFA rules have been broken
- The PFA’s motion is politically motivated
- FIFA should not be used as a venue for geopolitical disputes
This echoes the stance taken by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which also declined to sanction Israel, calling the situation “different” from Ukraine.
But the distinction seems arbitrary. The reality on the ground is that Palestinian athletes are being killed, and sports infrastructure is being obliterated—how is this not a direct threat to the values FIFA claims to uphold?
FIFA’S RESPONSE: INVESTIGATIONS UNDERWAY
While not taking immediate action, FIFA has responded by launching two key investigations:
- The FIFA Disciplinary Committee is reviewing claims of racial discrimination within Israel’s national league.
- The Governance, Audit, and Compliance Committee is probing the operation of Israeli clubs located in the occupied West Bank.
President Gianni Infantino has acknowledged the gravity of the issue and confirmed that a special council meeting will be held before July 2025 to assess the findings and decide whether sanctions, including a possible ban, are appropriate.
THE DOUBLE STANDARD: RUSSIA VS. ISRAEL
FIFA’s swift banning of Russia in 2022—to protect “the integrity of international football”—highlights the inconsistency in how human rights violations are addressed.
Why has Israel never faced a similar penalty, despite:
- Decades of illegal occupation
- Documented war crimes by the UN, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International
- Institutionalized apartheid, according to South African legal experts and former UN rapporteurs
- Suppression of Palestinian football and arbitrary detentions of players
The answer, many say, lies in political convenience. But FIFA cannot pick and choose which victims deserve justice.
GLOBAL PRESSURE MOUNTING
The movement to hold Israel accountable is growing. Protests and solidarity actions have erupted across global football scenes:
- Fans from Ireland to Malaysia to South Africa are waving Palestinian flags and demanding FIFA action.
- Social media campaigns are flooded with hashtags like #BanIsraelFromFIFA, #FIFAHypocrisy, and #FreePalestine.
- Dozens of civil society organizations and former players have signed petitions urging FIFA to act just as it did against apartheid-era South Africa.
FOOTBALL IS NOT APOLITICAL
FIFA often claims it “should not be political,” but its history proves otherwise:
- It banned South Africa for its apartheid policies.
- It suspended Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
- It excluded Russia in 2022.
Sport is not neutral. It is cultural power. And when used responsibly, it can help shape justice, amplify truth, and stand against oppression.
WHAT FIFA MUST DO
If FIFA wants to maintain any credibility as a global moral authority, it must:
- Publicly condemn Israeli war crimes and attacks on Palestinian athletes
- Ban clubs operating in illegal settlements
- Temporarily suspend the Israeli Football Association pending investigation
- Restore funding and resources to rebuild Palestinian football
- Ensure equal treatment of all member associations regardless of political consequences
TIME TO ACT: END THE HYPOCRISY
The debate over Israel’s participation in FIFA Congress 2025 is more than a procedural issue—it’s a litmus test of FIFA’s integrity.
FIFA cannot cherry-pick which victims deserve solidarity. It cannot pretend to uphold human rights while ignoring the systemic obliteration of Palestinian sport and life.
Anything short of a firm, transparent, and principled decision to suspend Israel from FIFA Congress 2025 will confirm what millions already suspect: FIFA’s human rights policy is not worth the paper it’s printed on.
If sport is truly for peace and dignity—then FIFA must act. Now.
