The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) has appealed to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against FIFA’s decision not to sanction Israel over clubs based in West Bank settlements.
According to the Reuters news agency and several media outlets, PFA Vice President Susan Shalabi said this on Tuesday (April 29, 2026). The PFA has argued for many years that clubs from settlements in the West Bank – an area the Palestinians claim as part of a future state – should not compete in leagues organized by the Israel Football Association (IFA).
FIFA cites unclear status
FIFA declared last month that it would not take any action against the IFA or Israeli clubs, citing the unresolved status of the West Bank under international law.
“Having exhausted all legal options with FIFA, we will continue to abide by the rules and appeal this decision because we believe it is very unfair.”said Shalabi after the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Vancouverwhich took place two days before the FIFA Congress in the same city. After 15 years of deliberations on this issue, the FIFA Council decided not to make a decision. “Therefore, all we can do is go to CAS and appeal. We will go through the entire process until we get justice.”
Shalabi points to visa problems
According to Sahabi, the appeal was submitted to the CAS on April 20, but the court has not yet confirmed its receipt. Shalabi explained that visa issues also prevented some PFA representatives from entering Canada for the FIFA Congress. She immediately received an electronic travel authorization because she submitted the application with a foreign passport. However, other members of the delegation, including the PFA president, the general secretary and the legal adviser Gonzalo Boye, did not initially receive visas.
“Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship CanadaShalabi said the visa problems were not limited to Palestine and that she knew the Iranian Football Association, whose representatives did not attend the AFC congress, had also experienced difficulties.