Palestinian Football Resumes After Nearly Three-Year Suspension Amid War

By Staff, Agencies

Palestinian football has resumed after almost three years, with the launch of a major club tournament involving teams from the occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip and Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.

Organized by the Palestinian Football Association, the “Thousand Martyrs Cup” began Friday with opening matches taking place simultaneously across the three regions.

In the West Bank, Jabal Al-Mukaber played Shabab Al-Khalil at Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium in Al-Ram, near Al-Quds ["Jerusalem"]. In Gaza, Khadamat Rafah faced Shabab Rafah at the Ittihad Deir Al-Balah Club stadium. In Lebanon, Al-Ansar met Al-Nahda at Abu Jihad Al-Wazir Stadium in the Ain Al-Hilweh refugee camp.

The tournament features around 244 clubs from the West Bank, Gaza and the Palestinian diaspora. The group-stage draw was conducted on September 1 through the association’s various regional branches.

The competition was named in honor of Palestinian athletes who were martyred during the war in Gaza. Mustafa Siyam, secretary-general of the Palestinian Sports Media Association, said the tournament represents the revival of sporting activity following more than three seasons of suspension.

Siyam said the war had severely affected Palestinian athletes and sports facilities, claiming that more than 1,000 athletes, including footballers, coaches and referees, had been martyred.

He described the tournament as a tribute to those who lost their lives and said its return sends a message that Palestinian sporting life is beginning to recover despite the difficult circumstances.

The resumption of football in Gaza carries particular significance after extensive damage and loss suffered by the territory’s sporting community since the war began in October 2023. In the occupied West Bank, domestic competitions were also suspended for three seasons amid escalating tensions and restrictions that disrupted training, travel and regular matches.

In Lebanon, the tournament is being administered through the Palestinian Football Association’s diaspora branch, with teams primarily based in refugee camps taking part.

The association said the competition is intended to serve as a first step toward gradually restoring regular domestic football competitions across Palestinian communities.