Palestinian club football to restart in September after three-year pause

Palestinian club football is set to resume in September after a nearly three-year suspension caused by the Gaza war.

The Palestinian Football Association announced the restart at a press conference in Ramallah on Monday.

Association president Jibril Rajoub declared: “We announce the resumption of sports activities and the football association’s league beginning September 4.”

Palestinian sports leagues, including the professional soccer competition, halted after the war began following the events of October 7.

The conflict created severe disruptions across the territories, preventing organized competitions from continuing.

The first event back will be the “Thousand Martyrs’ Cup,” named to honor the 1,014 Palestinian athletes the association says were killed during the war, according to its data.

‘Israel’ has disputed some of these characterizations, claiming that many individuals listed as athletes were “members of terrorist groups.”

More than 200 clubs are expected to take part, including 146 from the West Bank, 44 from Gaza, and 36 from Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.

The tournament will launch simultaneously across the three locations.

Rajoub described the impact of the conflict, saying the war “created difficult conditions for all Palestinians that led to the suspension of our competitions and activities.”

He added: “But we have not lost our Palestinian national will, nor have we lost our belief that sport will remain a symbol of hope and life.”

The association has also called for support from FIFA and other federations amid financial difficulties, emphasizing the right of players, children, and clubs to practice the sport freely and with dignity.

Separately, the Palestinian national team is scheduled to play a friendly against China in September as preparation for the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia in early 2027.