‘We Have Not Lost Our National Will’: Palestinian Football Returns After Three-Year Halt

PALESTINE:Palestinian football is set for a major comeback on September 4, 2026, as the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) prepares to restart domestic competitions after a nearly three-year suspension caused by the war, with the return tournament dedicated to athletes killed during the conflict. 

The opening competition, named the “Thousand Martyrs’ Cup,” will bring together 226 clubs from across Palestinian communities, according to the PFA. The tournament will include 146 clubs from the occupied West Bank, 44 from the Gaza Strip and 36 from Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. 

PFA President Jibril Rajoub said the restart represents more than the return of football, describing it as a statement of resilience following years of disruption. “We announce the resumption of sports activities and the football association’s league beginning September 4,” Rajoub said at a press conference in Ramallah. 

The tournament will honor 1,014 Palestinian athletes whom the federation says have been killed during the conflict. Three versions of the trophy are reportedly being prepared for competitions in the West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon, with the names of the athletes commemorated. 

Rajoub said the prolonged conflict created conditions that forced the suspension of football activities but insisted that the sport remains an important source of hope for Palestinians. “We have not lost our national will, nor have we lost our belief that sport will remain a symbol of hope and life,” he said.

The competition is expected to begin with a regional group stage before the Palestinian football system moves toward a classified league in the following season. The PFA also plans to provide financial assistance to qualifying clubs to help meet equipment and transportation costs. 

Opening matches are scheduled across three locations, including a West Bank meeting between Jabal Al-Mukaber and Shabab Al-Khaleel at Faisal Al-Husseini Stadium, Shabab Rafah against Khadamat Rafah in Gaza, and Al-Ansar against Al-Nahda at the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon. 

Despite the planned comeback, Palestinian football continues to face serious financial and infrastructure challenges. Rajoub has called for continued international support, while noting that FIFA-backed projects have included work connected to the technical sports centre, rehabilitation of Faisal Al-Husseini Stadium and girls’ football centres. 

The return of competitive football therefore carries significance far beyond the pitch, with Palestinian football officials presenting the September 4 restart as an opportunity to rebuild sporting institutions and give communities a renewed sense of normal life. As Rajoub put it, “The announcement of the resumption of sporting activity comes as part of a review of the past, so that we can build the future.”