AFC fines Sri Lankan player $2,000 for pro-Palestine message

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has fined Sri Lankan footballer Mohamed Thilham USD 2,000 for displaying a message in support of Palestine during an international match.

The incident occurred on June 10, 2025, following a victory against Chinese Taipei in an AFC Asian Cup qualifying match in Colombo.

Although Thilham was a non-playing substitute, he lifted his jersey during post-match celebrations to reveal a message on his undershirt that read "PRAY FOR FREE PALESTINE."

The AFC, in coordination with FIFA, cited a violation of its Disciplinary Code, which prohibits political, religious, or personal slogans during matches or related events; despite the timing of the act after the final whistle, it was still considered to be part of the official match environment.

According to local news outlets, the AFC considered several mitigating factors after receiving an explanation for the incident. This led to a reduction of the penalty from what could have been a more severe punishment. Thilham was given one month to pay the fine.