Following Palestine’s allegations, FIFA sanctioned Israeli settlement clubs, but fined the Israeli FA for discrimination violations.
Published on 19 March 2026
FIFA fined the Israeli Football Association (IFA) 150,000 Swiss francs ($190,700) for “numerous violations” of its anti-discrimination obligations.
A report on Thursday by the disciplinary committee of world football’s governing body found that the IFA had “failed to take meaningful action against Beitar Jerusalem” for “persistent and well-documented racist behaviour”.
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In October 2024, the Palestine Football Association reported allegations of discrimination by the IFA to FIFA, which launched an investigation.
FIFA did not opt ​​for the sanction requested by the Palestinian FA, which had argued for the IFA to be suspended.
But the IFA was found to have failed to “comply with FIFA’s statutory objectives” in a lengthy decision published by its disciplinary committee, which listed numerous incidents of racism in Israeli football.
The disciplinary committee highlighted “incomplete and grossly inadequate” sanctions against Israeli club Beitar for racist and discriminatory behaviour.
Regarding Beitar fans the report said, “Supporters have engaged in persistent and well-documented racist behaviour.”
“The club’s use of slogans such as ‘Forever Pure’ and the repeated use of ethnic slurs such as ‘terrorist’ directed at Arab players are not isolated incidents, but part of a systemic pattern of conduct that violates basic rules of civilized behavior and brings the game into disrepute.
“The Committee underlined that the said club is a small example of a general failure by the IFA.”
FIFA also said that the IFA had been issued a warning and ordered to display a “significant and highly visible banner” at its next three FIFA competition home matches stating “Football unites the world – not discrimination”.
The IFA must invest one third of the fine into implementing a plan to “ensure action against discrimination and prevent repeated incidents”.
Following a separate investigation, FIFA announced that no action would be taken against the IFA over allegations that Israeli clubs based in the occupied West Bank participate in Israeli leagues.
