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Palestinian soccer team

Mascots hold a banner which reads 'Stop killing children, Stop killing civilians' on the pitch ahead of the 2025 UEFA Super Cup final soccer match at the Friuli stadium, in Udine, Italy, August 13, 2025. (Marco BERTORELLO / AFP)
August 14, 2025, 2:57 pm
Flouting its own rules, UEFA displays ‘stop killing children’ banner at key match
Rare political statement, which doesn’t name Israel, comes after player called out European soccer governing body for not mentioning that ‘Palestinian Pele’ was allegedly killed in Gaza
By Zev Stub
Palestinian soccer player Suleiman Obeid (L) vies for the ball with Iranian player Hashem Beikzadeh during their West Asian Football Federation Championship (WAFF) match in the Jordanian capital Amman, 20 June 2007. (KHALIL MAZRAAWI / AFP)
August 11, 2025, 4:22 am
After soccer star killed in Gaza, IDF says it’s unaware of casualties in the area that day
Fans and family honor ‘Palestinian Pele’ Suleiman al-Obeid, 41, who was reportedly killed last week while waiting in line for aid in southern Strip
By Emanuel Fabian, Reuters and ToI Staff
Hapoel Beit She'an FC's announcement that Ghanem Mahajna was signed to the team, December 16, 2024. (Hapoel Beit She'an FC)
December 23, 2024, 2:02 am
Israeli soccer club said to drop goalie amid anger over 2017 game for Palestinian team
Ghanem Mahajna reportedly released by Hapoel Beit She’an after fans outraged to learn he played in Palestinian league following injury that forced him to leave Maccabi Netanya
By ToI Staff
Palestine's Mohammed Rashid (3) and Qatar's Abdel Aziz Hatim compete for the ball during the Asian Cup round of 16 soccer match between Qatar and Palestine at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, Monday, January 29, 2024. (AP/Aijaz Rahi)
July 5, 2024, 12:57 pm
Palestinian national soccer team aims to host World Cup qualifier games in West Bank
Palestinians, who have not hosted a match at the Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium in Al Ram since 2019, hoping to take on Jordan at home in September
By JOHN DUERDEN
Palestinian forward Zaid Qunbar celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup Group C soccer match against Hong Kong at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha on January 23, 2024. (Giuseppe Cacade/AFP)
January 23, 2024, 9:57 pm
Palestinian national soccer team reaches Asian Cup last 16
In first, Palestinians squeezes through as one of the four best third-placed teams
By AFP and ToI Staff
Palestinian amputees play a soccer match while using their crutches during a training session, at Palestine Stadium in Gaza City, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)
December 8, 2021, 11:47 am
Gaza soccer league aims to help amputees cope with war trauma
Team established with the help of the International Committee of the Red Cross hopes to compete regionally and appear at the World Cup for amputees in Turkey next year
By Agencies and ToI Staff
Spectators hold a huge flag depicting Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock shrine during a match between Palestinian team Hilal al-Quds and Morocco's Raja Casablanca in the Arab Champions Cup at Faisal Husseini stadium in the town of al-Ram, between Jerusalem and Ramallah, on October 3, 2019. (ABBAS MOMANI / AFP)
October 3, 2019, 9:21 pm
In first, Moroccan soccer team plays in West Bank, Saudis next
Thursday’s game between Raja Casablanca and Palestinian team Hilal al-Quds outside Jerusalem marks slow shift in Arab attitudes on playing in Palestinian areas
By Hossam Ezzedine
A player from Gaza's Shabab Rafah soccer team (blue) jumps to head the ball against a member of Hebron's Ahly Al-Ahli team during the second leg of the Palestinian Cup final at the stadium in the city of Dura, near the West Bank town of Hebron, on August 4, 2017. (AFP Photo/Hazem Bader)
September 23, 2019, 4:26 pm
Israel bans entry for most players on Gaza soccer team
Khadamat Rafah set to play Balata FC in the West Bank for second leg of Palestine Cup, but Shin Bet says most of team has ‘links to terrorism’
By Agencies
Khadamat Rafah Club's goalkeeper leaps to save the ball during the during a game in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on June 30, 2019. (SAID KHATIB / AFP)
July 3, 2019, 3:20 pm
Palestinian soccer association postpones cup final after Israel blocks travel
Official says Israeli authorities, citing security concerns, allow only 4 people to cross from Gaza to West Bank to hold game
By AFP
Players of the Palestinian national soccer team take part in a training session in Sharjah, northeast of Dubai, on January 4, 2019, on the eve of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. (Karim Sahib/AFP)
January 5, 2019, 3:43 pm
With help from diaspora, Palestinians hope for Asian Cup soccer surprise
Odds are stacked against the West Bank team, but players are optimistic they can bring some pride back home
By Hossam Ezzedine and Anne Levasseur
Iraq's national football team celebrates after an international friendly soccer match between Iraq and Syria in Baghdad,, March 26, 2013. (AP Photo/ Khalid Mohammed/File)
July 30, 2018, 11:36 pm
In first, Iraq national soccer team to play match in West Bank
Technically still at war with Israel, the Iraqi national squad will come to Ramallah, at the request of the Palestinian Authority; will need Israel’s okay
By AFP
Palestinian national soccer team plays against Bhutan national soccer team during the AFC Asian Cup qualifying match in Hebron, West Bank, October 10, 2017 (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)
July 25, 2018, 5:53 pm
UAE, Palestine added to Asian Games soccer after left off roster
Two teams have been given places in limited redraw after missing out in first draw, apparently for not properly following registration procedures
By AFP
Palestinian women watch the soccer match between Al-Nuseirat and Al-Jalaa standing outside the fence of the stadium at Nuseirat refugee camp, south of Gaza City, on January 28, 2018. (AFP PHOTO / MAHMUD HAMS)
January 28, 2018, 7:36 pm
Gaza police block women from attending soccer game
Organizers had intended for match to be first case of large-scale attendance under Hamas, but Islamists blocked move
By AFP
The Palestinian national soccer team along with PA President Mahmoud Abbas after winning the AFC Challenge Cup in late May 2014 (photo credit: Issam Rimawi/ Flash 90)
November 23, 2017, 2:13 pm
Palestinians overtake Israel in FIFA world soccer rankings
Palestine comes in at 82nd place while Jewish state dips down to 98th, its worst position since 1993
By ToI Staff
Palestinian sports teacher Rajaa Hamdan (R) leads a football training session with young girls in the northern West Bank village of Deir Jarir, near Ramallah, on September 13, 2017. (AFP PHOTO / ABBAS MOMANI)
September 16, 2017, 9:59 am
Palestinian all-girl soccer team breaks cultural barriers
Hundreds of young women are enjoying an opportunity denied their mothers’ generation in the socially conservative West Bank
By Hossam Ezzedine
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