Zurich: The Palestine Football Association (PFA) has accused FIFA of failing to enforce its own regulations against Israel, citing years of inaction that have severely impacted Palestinian football. The PFA's statement highlighted the loss of over 1,013 members of the Palestinian football community due to ongoing conflicts in Gaza and the destruction of vital football infrastructure.
According to TRTworld.com, the PFA condemned FIFA for not addressing the issue of Israeli settlement clubs operating in occupied Palestinian territories. Despite raising these concerns for more than 15 years, the PFA claims that FIFA has remained unresponsive. The association further criticized the global football governing body for its silence, suggesting that inaction equates to complicity in the ongoing situation.
In 2022, FIFA stated it would not ban Israel from international competitions, arguing that it could not resolve geopolitical issues. This decision led to widespread backlash, with fans accusing FIFA of double standards, especially after the organization swiftly banned Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine.
In a related development, The Athletic reported that the English Football Association (FA) is set to withdraw its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino's re-election bid. The FA expressed dissatisfaction with Infantino following an unsuccessful attempt to sell a significant stake in FIFA's commercial operations to a private investor. The FA called for a comprehensive review of FIFA's leadership to ensure transparency and benefit all member nations.
Infantino, who has been president since 2016 and ran unopposed in the last two elections, faces increasing pressure as the football associations of Wales and Serbia also announced their withdrawal of support. The Serbian Football Federation cited recent events that have tarnished FIFA's reputation as their reason for this decision.
Nominations for challengers to Infantino's presidency must be submitted by November 18. Victor Montagliani, the current CONCACAF president and FIFA vice president, is anticipated to enter the race.