After nearly three years without organized club competition, Palestinian club football is set to return this September, offering players and fans a long-awaited return to the pitch amid the ongoing impact of the war in Gaza.
The Palestinian Football Association announced the resumption of its leagues and sporting activities during a press conference in Ramallah on Monday, with the first competitions scheduled to begin on September 4.
Palestinian Football Is Returning
Palestinian club football was suspended after the war, following the events of October 7, bringing organized sporting competitions across the Palestinian territories to a halt.
The suspension severely disrupted clubs, players, and sporting communities, making the return of competitive football a significant moment for Palestinian sport.
“We announce the resumption of sports activities and the football association’s league beginning September 4,” Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub said during the press conference.
The Thousand Martyrs’ Cup
The first major event will be the “Thousand Martyrs’ Cup,” named in honor of the 1,014 Palestinian athletes the association says were killed during the war, according to its data.
The tournament is expected to bring together more than 200 clubs from across the Palestinian sporting community.
A Tournament Across Three Locations
The competition will include 146 clubs from the West Bank, 44 from Gaza, and 36 from Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.
The tournament will launch simultaneously across the three locations, bringing Palestinian clubs together despite the geographical and logistical challenges created by the conflict.
A Return Built on Hope
Rajoub acknowledged the enormous impact the war has had on Palestinian sport, saying it “created difficult conditions for all Palestinians that led to the suspension of our competitions and activities.”
Despite that, he stressed that the suspension did not erase the role of sport in Palestinian life.
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 Call for International Support
The Palestinian Football Association is also seeking support from FIFA and other football federations as clubs face financial difficulties following years of disruption.
The association emphasized that players and children should be able to return to the sport freely and with dignity, while clubs need financial and institutional support to rebuild their activities.
The National Team Also Prepares for 2027
Meanwhile, the Palestinian national team is scheduled to play a friendly against China in September as part of its preparations for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
With both the national team and domestic clubs returning to action, September could mark an important new chapter for Palestinian football after nearly three years away from competition.
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