FIFA and UEFA intervene to stop Israeli demolition of West Bank refugee football pitch

A football pitch serving hundreds of Palestinian children in the Aida refugee camp in the illegally occupied West Bank has been temporarily saved from demolition after high-level interventions by FIFA president Gianni Infantino and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.

Israeli authorities had issued a notice of demolition for the pitch, built adjacent to the separation wall near Bethlehem, claiming it was “illegally” constructed. The claim however has no basis in international law as the International Court of Justice determined that it is Israel’s occupation that is illegal. 

The field, laid in 2021, is the only recreational space in the Aida camp and hosts over 250 children weekly, including girls who have represented Palestine at youth level.

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The demolition, originally scheduled for this week, has been suspended following diplomatic pressure from the highest levels of international football. Sources confirmed that Infantino’s office raised the issue with the Swiss government and the Israel Football Association (IFA), prompting the Swiss ambassador to Israel, Simon Geisbuhler, to petition the Israeli government directly.

Ceferin, who is said to have taken a more active stance on the conflict than FIFA leadership, reportedly held three calls with IFA president Moshe Zuares in the past week. 

Mohammad Abusrour, director of the Aida camp’s youth centre, welcomed the development but remained cautious. “This is a huge success for the campaign,” he told The Athletic, “but we are still concerned about what could be the final political decision. We still haven’t received official confirmation from the army. This is the only public space for the children and the refugees in the area to play… it offers the possibility of a normal, healthy life.”

The pitch became a flashpoint amid Israel’s genocide in Gaza, its conduct in occupied Palestinian territories and mounting calls for accountability within international football bodies. UEFA, in particular, has faced pressure to suspend the IFA for allowing clubs based in illegal Israeli settlements to participate in national competitions, a violation of international law and FIFA’s own rules.

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Ceferin has previously signalled a willingness to act. According to The Athletic, he personally approved a banner displayed at last year’s UEFA Super Cup final that read: “Stop killing children; Stop killing civilians.” Two refugee children from Gaza were invited to participate in the medal ceremony. UEFA has also held discussions with Richard Falk, former UN special rapporteur for Palestinian rights, as part of ongoing engagement with the “Game Over Israel” campaign.

FIFA, by contrast, has historically shied away from direct political involvement. Infantino has insisted that football “cannot solve political problems,” though the governing body remains under pressure to resolve a longstanding inquiry into Israel’s violations of FIFA statutes.

The Aida camp is home to over 7,000 Palestinian refugees registered with the United Nations Relief and Work Agency, UNRWA. The threatened demolition of its only football field sparked a global outcry, with Swiss MPs even threatening to revoke UEFA’s tax-exempt status over its continued recognition of Israeli teams based in occupied territory. That vote has now been delayed until later this month.