Palestinian Football Association

The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) is the national governing body for football in Palestine. It oversees the organization and representation of the sport across the Palestinian football system, including the men's national team, the women's national team, domestic competitions, league structures, and the country's relationships with regional and international football institutions. Its activities take place within a geographically and administratively divided football environment, with separate competition structures operating in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A Palestine Football Association representing Palestinian Arabs was established in 1962. The association subsequently became connected to the wider Arab football movement through membership in the Union of Arab Football Associations after that organization's creation in 1974. A major institutional turning point came after the establishment of the Palestinian Authority: in 1998, the PFA was accepted as a member of FIFA and also joined the Asian Football Confederation. It is additionally associated with the West Asian Football Federation, placing Palestinian football within both Asian and subregional competition frameworks. The association's responsibilities extend beyond national-team administration. Its domestic structure includes a men's West Bank Premier League and a men's Gaza Strip Premier League, alongside lower-level competitions and the West Bank Women's League. The Palestine Cup is another important part of the domestic football calendar. The PFA therefore functions as both a representative institution in international football and an administrator of competitions and development pathways at home. Women's football became more formally organized under the association when the first women's league was formed on 11 February 2011. This marked an important expansion of the institutional football system and created a domestic platform for women's clubs and players. The association also manages the national-team framework for both men and women, including coaching, competition participation, player preparation, and international representation. The PFA operates in circumstances that can materially affect sporting activity, travel, access to facilities, scheduling, and the continuity of domestic competitions. These constraints are part of the broader environment in which Palestinian sport is administered, although specific operational details vary over time. In 2025, Palestine head coach Ehab Abu Jazar was reported as seeking to establish a national-team training center in Chile, illustrating the search for alternative preparation arrangements when local training conditions are difficult. The association is headed by General Jibril Rajoub, with Ibrahim Abu Saleem serving as first vice-president. Susan Shalabi and Ziab El Khatib are vice-presidents, while Omar Abu Hashia is general secretary. Through these officials and its member clubs and competitions, the PFA represents Palestinian football domestically and in FIFA, AFC, and regional football settings.

The Palestinian Football Association traces its institutional origins to 1962, when a Palestine Football Association representing Palestinian Arabs was formed. Its development took place alongside the growth of Palestinian political and sporting institutions and within the wider Arab football network. The association became a member of the Union of Arab Football Associations after that body's formation in 1974, giving Palestinian football a regional institutional connection before its later entry into the global and Asian confederation systems. The creation of the Palestinian Authority provided the political and administrative context for a new phase of international recognition. In 1998, the PFA was admitted to FIFA. In the same year it became a member of the Asian Football Confederation. These affiliations established the association as the recognized representative of Palestinian football in international competitions and enabled Palestine's national teams to participate within the formal structures of world and Asian football. The PFA is also linked to the West Asian Football Federation, which provides a subregional framework for competition and cooperation. The association's domestic administration reflects the territorial division between the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Men's football is organized through separate top-level league structures, namely the West Bank Premier League and Gaza Strip Premier League. The system also includes lower divisions and cup competition, including the Palestine Cup. This arrangement allows football activity to be administered through local structures while the PFA maintains an overarching national role. The institutional development of women's football became a notable milestone on 11 February 2011, when the first women's league was established. The league created a formal domestic competition for women's clubs and supported the association's responsibility for the women's national team. The PFA consequently encompasses both men's and women's football, from grassroots and domestic competitions to international representation. The association's work is affected by the practical conditions surrounding Palestinian sport. Restrictions and instability can complicate travel, access to stadiums and training grounds, competition scheduling, player selection, and the ability to bring national-team players together. These conditions have made alternative preparation arrangements relevant to the national team. In July 2025, EFE reported that Palestine coach Ehab Abu Jazar was seeking to establish a training center in Chile, an example of the association and its sporting staff looking beyond local facilities for sustained team preparation. In its current structure, the PFA is led by President General Jibril Rajoub. Ibrahim Abu Saleem is listed as first vice-president, with Susan Shalabi and Ziab El Khatib as vice-presidents and Omar Abu Hashia as general secretary. The organization remains responsible for representing Palestine within FIFA, the AFC, and regional football bodies while managing the country's domestic football framework and national teams.

• 2025

  Proposal for a national-team training center in Chile

  Palestine head coach Ehab Abu Jazar was reported to be seeking a training center in Chile for national-team preparation.

• 2011

  First women's league established

  [1]Palestinian Football Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The PFA formed its first women's league on 11 February, formalizing a domestic competition pathway for women's football.

• 1998

  FIFA and AFC membership

  [1]Palestinian Football Associationen.wikipedia.org

  Following the creation of the Palestinian Authority, the PFA was accepted into FIFA and joined the Asian Football Confederation.

• 1974

  Connection with Arab football institutions

  [1]Palestinian Football Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The association became a member of the Union of Arab Football Associations after the organization was established.

• 1962

  Formation of a Palestine football association

  [1]Palestinian Football Associationen.wikipedia.org

  A Palestine Football Association representing Palestinian Arabs was formed, providing an institutional foundation for organized Palestinian football.

National football governing body and international representative of Palestinian football.

• National team

  Palestine men's national football team

  The senior men's national team represents Palestine in international football under the PFA. The association is responsible for its administrative framework, player preparation, coaching structure, international fixtures, and participation in FIFA, AFC, and regional competitions.

• National team

  Palestine women's national football team

  The women's national team is the PFA's international representative for women's football. It forms part of the association's broader effort to administer the women's game alongside domestic league development.

• Domestic league

  West Bank Premier League

  The West Bank Premier League is the top men's league structure administered within the West Bank football system. It provides a principal domestic competition pathway for clubs and players in the territory.

• Domestic league

  Gaza Strip Premier League

  The Gaza Strip Premier League is the top men's league structure in the Gaza Strip division of Palestinian football. It operates as part of the PFA's territorially divided domestic competition system.

• Domestic women's league · 2011

  West Bank Women's League

  The West Bank Women's League is a domestic competition for women's clubs in the West Bank. It is part of the formal women's football structure developed under the PFA after the establishment of the first women's league in 2011.

• Domestic cup competition

  Palestine Cup

  The Palestine Cup is a national domestic cup competition associated with the Palestinian football system. It complements league football by providing a knockout competition for participating clubs.

• 2025

  Exploration of an overseas training centerStrategy

  Background

  The national team has faced difficult conditions for maintaining consistent preparation and access to suitable training facilities.

  Action taken

  Head coach Ehab Abu Jazar sought to establish a training center for the national team in Chile.

  Aftermath

  The reported proposal indicated an effort to create a stable external base for national-team preparation; its implementation and outcome are not established in the available material.

• 2011

  Formalization of women's league footballStrategy

  Background

  Women's football required a regular domestic competition structure capable of supporting clubs, players, and the women's national-team pathway.

  Action taken

  The PFA formed its first women's league on 11 February 2011.

  Aftermath

  The move created a formal domestic platform for women's football and expanded the association's organized competition system.

  Source

• 2025

  Palestine coach seeks training center in Chile

  Other

  Palestine head coach Ehab Abu Jazar was reported to be seeking the establishment of a national-team training center in Chile, reflecting efforts to secure suitable preparation arrangements for the team.

1. 1Palestinian Football Associationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Palestinian Football Association official websitepfa.ps