West Bank
Occupied Palestinian territory east of the Green Line; at issue in the PFA's CAS challenge to Israeli club participation.
Last refreshed: 2 May 2026
Will CAS order FIFA to act on Israeli clubs in occupied West Bank settlements?
Timeline for West Bank
Rajoub refuses Suliman handshake on stage
2026 FIFA World CupPFA appeals FIFA Israel ruling at CAS
2026 FIFA World CupMentioned in: Hezbollah Missile Hits Tel Aviv Range
Iran Conflict 2026Mentioned in: Katz: IDF holds all land south of Litani
Iran Conflict 2026Mentioned in: Cluster missiles breach Israel defences
Iran Conflict 2026- Why did Palestine appeal to CAS over Israeli football clubs?
- The Palestine FA filed a CAS appeal on or around 20 April 2026 challenging FIFA's decision not to suspend the IFA or expel Israeli clubs based in occupied West Bank settlements. FIFA had only fined the IFA $191,000.Source: PFA / CAS
- What is Israel's football status regarding West Bank settlements?
- FIFA fined the Israel Football Association $191,000 for fielding clubs based in occupied West Bank settlements but declined to suspend it. The Palestine FA challenged this at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in April 2026.Source: FIFA / PFA
- What happened between Palestine and Israel at the FIFA Congress in Vancouver?
- Palestinian FA president Jibril Rajoub refused to shake hands with Israeli FA vice-president Basim Sheikh Suliman on stage at the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver on 30 April 2026, citing Palestinian suffering.Source: FIFA / Congress footage
- Why is the West Bank relevant to the 2026 World Cup?
- The Palestine FA filed a CAS appeal in April 2026 against FIFA's decision not to expel Israeli clubs based in occupied West Bank settlements. FIFA fined the IFA $191,000 instead; the PFA argues this is inadequate and normalises annexation.Source: Lowdown
- Who controls the West Bank?
- Israel has maintained full military occupation since 1967. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited civil administration in designated urban areas (Areas A and B). Israel controls all external borders and approximately 60% of the land (Area C).Source: Lowdown
- Are Israeli settlements in the West Bank legal?
- Most UN member states and the International Court of Justice consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law. Israel contests this. There are approximately 700,000 settlers across more than 130 settlements.Source: Lowdown
- What did FIFA do about Israeli clubs in the West Bank?
- FIFA fined the Israel Football Association approximately $191,000 and declined to suspend it or expel settlement-based clubs. The Palestine Football Association filed a CAS appeal in April 2026 challenging that decision as insufficient.Source: Lowdown
Background
The West Bank is a landlocked Palestinian territory located west of the Jordan River and east of the Green Line (the 1949 armistice boundary). It has a population of approximately 2.9 million Palestinians and around 700,000 Israeli settlers across more than 130 settlements and outposts. Israel has maintained full military occupation since the 1967 Six-Day War. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited civil administration in designated urban areas (Areas A and B), while Israel retains control over approximately 60% of the land (Area C) including all external borders and movement corridors. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law by most UN member states and the International Court of Justice, though Israel contests this characterisation.
In the context of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the West Bank became the central terrain in the Palestine Football Association's dispute with FIFA. The PFA filed a formal appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport on approximately 20 April 2026, challenging FIFA's decision not to suspend the Israel Football Association or expel Israeli clubs operating from occupied West Bank settlements. FIFA had fined the IFA approximately $191,000, with proceeds partly directed to anti-discrimination programmes. The PFA argues that allowing settlement-based clubs to compete in the IFA league normalises territorial annexation in violation of FIFA's own statutes. The refusal of Palestinian FA president Jibril Rajoub to shake hands with Israeli FA vice-president Basim Sheikh Suliman at the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver on 30 April illustrated the depth of the dispute at the highest levels of world football governance.
The West Bank is also a live conflict zone. The territory appears in Lowdown's Iran conflict coverage as a target of Iranian missile strikes and a flashpoint for Israeli settler violence. Palestinian casualty data from the West Bank has been cited in diplomatic communications between the US, Israel, and Iran. The convergence of sporting and security dimensions makes the West Bank one of the most politically complex geographic entities appearing across Lowdown's topics.
