Palestinian Football Association

The Palestinian Football Association (Arabic: الاتحاد الفلسطيني لكرة القدم) is the governing body for football in Palestine, and for the men's Palestine national football team and the Palestine women's national football team.[3][4]

History

A Palestine Football Association representing the Palestinian Arabs was formed in 1962[1] and has been a member of the Union of Arab Football Associations since it was formed in 1974.[5]

Palestinian Authority and FIFA recognition

It was accepted as a member by FIFA in 1998, after the creation of the Palestinian Authority.[6] The PFA has also been a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) since 1998, in the West Asian Football Federation.[1]

On 11 February 2011, the PFA formed the first women's league.[7]

On 30 July 2025, EFE reported that Palestine head coach Ehab Abu Jazar was seeking to establish a training center for the national team in Chile.[8]

Divisions

The football division system is parted into two: the West Bank and Gaza Strip. There is a men's West Bank Premier League and a men's Gaza Strip Premier League[9] as well as a West Bank Women's League.[10]

Management

  • President: General Jibril Rajoub
  • First Vice-president: Ibrahim Abu Saleem
  • Vice-president: Susan Shalabi, Ziab El Khatib
  • General Secretary: Omar Abu Hashia
NamePositionSource
PalestineJibril RajoubPresident[11][12]
PalestineIbrahim Abu SalimVice President[11][12]
PalestineSusan Shalabi Molano2nd Vice President[12]
PalestineZiad Bekai3rd Vice President[12]
PalestineFiras Abu HilalGeneral Secretary[11][12]
PalestineIbrahim EleyanTreasurer[11]
PalestineAbdalnasser BarakatTechnical Director[11][12]
TunisiaMakram DaboubTeam Coach (Men's)[11][12]
PalestineAhmad SharafTeam Coach (Women's)[11][12]
PalestineGhassan JaradatMedia/Communications Manager[11]
PalestineAnan WaleedFutsal Coordinator[11]
PalestineHussam Al HusseinReferee Coordinator[11]

See also

References

  1. 123"Palestinian footballers: National team without a state – DW – 11/16/2023". dw.com. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  2. "Presidential Election Item 13 on FIFA Congress Agenda". fifa.com. FIFA. 16 April 1998. Archived from the original on 7 December 2014.
  3. "Soccer is Under Fire in Palestine". vice.com. Vice. 24 June 2014.
  4. "Football in Palestine: Power, conflict, and hope". 18 January 2021.
  5. admin (8 October 2021). "Palestine Goes International: On Palestinian Achievements in Sports throughout the Decades". Palestine Chronicle. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  6. "Member Association - Palestine". www.fifa.com. FIFA. Archived from the original on 15 January 2008. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  7. "Women's league kicks-off in Palestine". www.the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 11 February 2011.
  8. Rey, María José (30 July 2025). "Palestine's 2030 World Cup quest finds haven in Chile". EFE Noticias. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  9. Khaled, Ali (27 July 2015). "Football in times of crisis: Palestine's game endures in the face of tragedy". The National. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  10. von der Lippe, Gerd (2 July 2020). "'We can!' – women's football in the Occupied West Bank". European Journal for Sport and Society. 17 (3): 214–230. doi:10.1080/16138171.2020.1792073. ISSN 1613-8171.
  11. 12345678910FIFA.com. "Member Association - Palestine". www.fifa.com. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  12. 12345678"The AFC.com - The Asian Football Confederation". The AFC. Retrieved 3 November 2020.