Court of Arbitration for Sport

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is the independent international body that resolves legal disputes in sport. Founded in 1984 by the International Olympic Committee, CAS is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, though it operates under Swiss law as a fully independent institution. It has three divisions: Ordinary (first-instance commercial disputes), Appeals (challenges against federation decisions), and Ad Hoc (created on-site at major events). CAS handles approximately 400 to 600 cases per year and draws arbitrators from around 100 countries. Its rulings are enforceable in courts of signatory states and are widely regarded as the final word on sports governance disputes.

CAS became central to the 2026 World Cup's most politically charged dispute when the Palestine Football Association filed a formal appeal on approximately 20 April 2026, challenging FIFA's decision not to suspend the Israel Football Association or expel Israeli clubs based in occupied West Bank settlements. FIFA had levied a fine of approximately $191,000 on the IFA — a penalty the PFA argued was entirely inadequate. The appeal was progressing through CAS proceedings as the 76th FIFA Congress convened in Vancouver at the end of April, meaning Israel's participation remained technically unresolved through the highest level of sports governance.

A ruling in favour of the PFA would be unprecedented — no qualified nation has been excluded from a World Cup at CAS stage. The case tests whether FIFA's financial penalty mechanism satisfies CAS's standard of review when faced with a claim that the underlying conduct (operating clubs in occupied territory) constitutes a structural breach of FIFA statutes, not merely a regulatory infraction. Sports law academics have noted that the standard of review CAS applies to FIFA punishments is deferential unless the penalty is grossly disproportionate.