Palestinian football returns amidst ongoing restrictions
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Across the West Bank, Gaza, and Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, Palestinian football clubs have resumed organised competition with the Thousand Martyrs Cup, after a nearly three-year pause caused by conflict.
The tournament is named in memory of the 1,014 athletes killed since October 2023, when intensified attacks disrupted Palestinian life. The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) reports that Israeli restrictions, including checkpoints, movement limitations, and attacks on facilities, have historically hindered the sport, and continue to pose challenges.
Currently, over 200 clubs are participating, but the PFA has had to adjust schedules and group teams geographically to accommodate ongoing restrictions on movement. Many stadiums in Gaza have been destroyed, with some now serving as shelters for displaced people. Players and clubs are also facing financial hardship, forcing some professionals to return to amateur status. Despite these difficulties, officials and players are determined to continue.
Firas Abu Hilal, secretary-general of the PFA, stated they are playing “to prove to the whole world that we are a people who must live.” Even facilities like the AOD Sports Academy in Aida refugee camp face threats. It received a demolition order that was temporarily frozen after international pressure, but the PFA intends to make the Thousand Martyrs Cup an annual event.
