Palestinian Football Association

"Palestine Football Association" redirects here. For the football association representing Mandatory Palestine, see Israel Football Association.

The Palestinian Football Association (Arabic: الاتحاد الفلسطيني لكرة القدم) is the governing body for football in Palestine, and for the men's Palestine national football team and the Palestine women's national football team.^[3][4]

Palestinian Football Association

AFC
Short name	PFA
Founded	1998; 27 years ago (1998)[1]
Headquarters	Jerusalem
FIFA affiliation	Provisional: 31 May 1995[2] Full member: 1998
AFC affiliation	1995 (provisional member) 1998
WAFF affiliation	2000
President	Jibril Rajoub
Website	pfa.ps

History

Palestinian formation

In 1928, the Palestinian Football Association was founded  in the British Mandate . And joined FIFA the following year, but ironically, it was neither Palestinian nor Arab but founded by Jewish immigrants and completely controlled by Jewish teams.^[5][6][7] Its national team, Mandatory Palestine national football team, participated in qualifying rounds for the 1934 Football World Cup and 1938 FIFA World Cup. In 1948 it changed its name to Israel Football Association.^[8][9]

Palestinian Arab formation

A Palestine Football Association representing the Palestinian Arabs was formed in 1962^[10] and has been a member of the Union of Arab Football Associations since that was formed in 1974.^[11]

Palestinian Authority

It was accepted as a member by FIFA in 1998, after the creation of the Palestinian Authority.^[12] The PFA has also been a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) since 1998, in the West Asian Football Federation.^[10]

On 11 February 2011, the PFA formed the first women's league.^[13]

Divisions

The football division system is parted into two: the West Bank and Gaza Strip. There is a men's West Bank Premier League and a men's Gaza Strip Premier League^[14] as well as a West Bank Women's League.^[15]

Management

• President: General Jibril Rajoub
• First Vice-president: Ibrahim Abu Saleem
• Vice-president: Susan Shalabi, Ziab El Khatib
• General Secretary: Omar Abu Hashia

Name	Position	Source
Jibril Rajoub	President	[16][17]
Ibrahim Abu Salim	Vice President	[16][17]
Susan Shalabi Molano	2nd Vice President	[17]
Ziad Bekai	3rd Vice President	[17]
Firas Abu Hilal	General Secretary	[16][17]
Ibrahim Eleyan	Treasurer	[16]
Abdalnasser Barakat	Technical Director	[16][17]
Makram Daboub	Team Coach (Men's)	[16][17]
Ahmad Sharaf	Team Coach (Women's)	[16][17]
Ghassan Jaradat	Media/Communications Manager	[16]
Anan Waleed	Futsal Coordinator	[16]
Hussam Al Hussein	Referee Coordinator	[16]

See also

• West Bank Premier League
• Gaza Strip Premier League
• Gaza Strip First League
• Palestine Cup
• Palestinian sports during the 2023–2024 Israeli invasion of Gaza
• List of athletes killed in the Gaza war