The Palestine Football Association have shared a powerful statement as they’ve spoken out against FIFA amid the ongoing controversy relating to president Gianni Infantino.

The FIFA boss has faced a huge amount of backlash after it emerged that he planned to create a new commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE), with the intention of selling off shares in the World Cup to private investors. The resulting outcry has forced Infantino to scrap the plan, but he’s populairty has never been lower.

UEFA have now declared a lack of confidence in the football administrator, with Wales the first nation to officially withdraw support for Infantino ahead of the 2027 election. Amid the drama, Palestine have revealed where they stand.

Palestine Call For ‘Principles at FIFA Amid Conflict in Gaza

In a strong statement, the Palestine Football Association outlined the impact the conflict in Gaza has had on their footballing community. It noted that Israel have killed “more than 1013 footballers, coaches, referees, officials and members of the football family,” while adding that domestic competitions have been stopped.

Amid all this, the statement was very critical of FIFA under Infantino. Noting how it has given its support to the current president in the past, Palestine’s FA stated: “Our national teams cannot enjoy the freedom and the pride experienced by the 210 other FIFA members to play at home,” before adding that “the fundamental issues brought before FIFA remain trapped in an endless cycle of reviews, reports and procedural delays.”

Speaking specifically about the latest FIFA scandal regarding the privatisation of the World Cup, Palestine’s FA said:

The statement accused FIFA of “double standards” and questioned ‘the continued participation of clubs based in Israeli illegal settlements established on occupied Palestinian territory,’ noting that the number of settlement clubs affiliated to the Israeli Football Association increased while FIFA deliberated on the matter.

The Palestinian FA then outlined a need for change in the way FIFA is being run:

Full Palestine Statement in Full

In full, the Palestine FA’s statement read: “The growing debate among FIFA Member Associations about transparency, governance and accountability comes at a defining moment for world football.

“The Palestine Football Association (PFA) has twice placed its trust in FIFA’s current leadership since 2015. We did so believing that reform would mean the consistent application of FIFA’s Statutes, respect for the rights of every Member Association, equal dignity among them and governance guided by principle rather than expediency.

“We waited. We engaged constructively. We respected FIFA’s processes. In return, Palestinian football has endured unprecedented devastation. Amid Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, our football community has suffered catastrophic losses. More than 1013 footballers, coaches, referees, officials and members of the football family have been killed. Stadiums, training grounds and football infrastructure have been systematically destroyed. An entire generation of Palestinian footballers has seen its future placed in jeopardy. Our domestic competitions have been stopped. Our national teams cannot enjoy the freedom and the pride experienced by the 210 other FIFA members to play at home.

“Yet, after more than fifteen years, the fundamental issues brought before FIFA remain trapped in an endless cycle of reviews, reports and procedural delays while Palestinian football faces an existential threat of seeing its very existence denied and destroyed. Many are now questioning the commercial direction of FIFA and whether football’s greatest assets should be treated as financial instruments. Those are legitimate concerns.

“For Palestine, however, the issue is even more fundamental. Our concern is whether FIFA still possesses the institutional courage to uphold its own Statutes equally, without hesitation and without political submission.

“Throughout this period, FIFA’s repeated delays based on double standards as well as legal technicalities to refuse the obvious realities, and silence have not preserved neutrality. They have enabled further violations. Every postponed decision has allowed the situation on the ground to deteriorate while confidence in FIFA’s governance has steadily eroded.

“Nowhere is this clearer than in the continued participation of clubs based in Israeli illegal settlements established on occupied Palestinian territory. While FIFA continued to deliberate, the number of settlement clubs affiliated to the Israeli Football Association increased. By failing to enforce its own Statutes, FIFA has allowed facts on the ground to become further entrenched, undermining its own commitment to the territorial integrity of its Member Associations. Silence, when a genocide is being committed live, amounts to complicity.

“Recent initiatives concerning football development in devastated Gaza, pursued through engagement with a non-football purely-political entity, ignoring and not even consulting the Palestine Football Association, the sole FIFA-recognised governing body of football in Palestine, have only deepened concerns that FIFA is prepared to set aside its own institutional principles when they become inconvenient.

“Palestinian football can no longer afford promises in place of action. As discussions begin about the future leadership of FIFA, Member Associations are rightly demanding greater transparency, accountability and democratic governance. Palestine has been asking for these principles for more than fifteen years.

“Our concern is not who leads FIFA. Our concern is whether FIFA is once again prepared to lead by principle. The threat facing Palestinian football is existential. Time is no longer a luxury we can afford. The transgressor must be held accountable, and FIFA’s Statutes must finally be applied without fear or favour.

“Global football is losing credibility. Restoring that credibility requires leadership that is democratic, transparent and willing to defend the values it proclaims and the international football rule-based order enshrined in the vision of the 1904 founding fathers of FIFA. History will not judge FIFA by the promises it made, but by the principles it was prepared to uphold when they mattered most.”

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick is not short of attacking options at Old Trafford ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, and could allow one rising star to leave the club on loan.

Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha were all in fine form under Carrick last term and are set to play important roles next term, despite Bayern Munich interest in talisman Sesko.

Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford are still on the books at the Theatre of Dreams and could be on their way out if the right offer arrives. But as things stand, they will be staying, which could see another star allowed to leave for more regular football.

Chido Obi available for loan

The 18-year-old, described as ‘outrageous’, made his first team debut in a Premier League meeting with Tottenham Hotspur in February 2025 and was handed a flurry of first team opportunities by Ruben Amorim over the back end of that season.

Last year, Obi only made one matchday squad, when an unused substitute against Wolves in December. The striker continued his progress with the Under-21 side, scoring 20 goals across 37 appearances in an impressive return.

Danish publication TipsBladet now claims that the young Dane has been made available for loan this summer with Man Utd keen for the rising star to experience first-team football.

It’s claimed that there is ‘massive interest’ in the teenager but that the Red Devils will be selective in making sure the loan move is the best opportunity for Obi. If one does not emerge, he will continue to develop in the academy and fight for a first team breakthrough under Carrick.

Obi featured in pre-season for Man Utd during their 5-0 win over Rosenborg for 30 minutes as a substitute, although he didn’t travel with the squad for their recent win over Atletico Madrid.

Man Utd star in fine form for Under-21s

Obi has turned heads at Under-21 level, a highlight last season coming when the striker plundered four goals against Leicester City during a 4-1 win in February. The forward also found the back of the net in matches against Liverpool and Manchester City, as well as picking up assists against Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid in the Premier League International Cup.

The player was just 17 years old when handed his first team debut by Amorim, catching the eye thanks to his height and speed.

Speaking about Obi at the time, Amorim said: “If you see Chido playing, he is clever with every ball lost in the box, so I wanted one more player.

“But I felt the team was good during the game and I didn’t need to change. Chido was that one player who could, with one long ball, make the difference.”

Crystal Palace have endured a slow start to the summer transfer window, with Oscar Mingueza so far the only fresh face at Selhurst Park.

The former Celta de Vigo man is set to be the understudy for Daniel Munoz with Pierre Sage yet to see a marquee signing come through the doors in South London.

The biggest piece of transfer news from the Eagles so far has been the sale of Maxence Lacroix to Chelsea. Crystal Palace pocketed £52m through that deal, but must now replace the star, who played nearly 5,000 minutes of football last season.

Crystal Palace target Lens defender

Benoit Tessier Via Reuters

Sage may take his shopping to former club Lens to do so. Transfer specialist Pete O’Rourke reports on Monday that the Eagles have shown interest in centre-back Ismaëlo Ganiou, along with other Premier League clubs.

The 21-year-old, described as a ‘monster’, is a product of the Lens academy and is naturally a right-sided centre-back. The Burkina Faso international made 23 Ligue 1 appearances last season, scoring three goals. Ganiou remains under contract until 2028.

French outlet Top Mercato claims that he is valued at €20 million, or £17 million, but that Lens will demand around £35 million in a bid to deter interest. Tottenham Hotspur and Borussia Dortmund are both named as potential suitors.

Ganiou, who has been described as

Pierre Sage praises ‘solid’ Ismaëlo Ganiou

REUTERS

Crystal Palace could have an advantage thanks to Sage’s time at Lens. The Eagles head coach was in charge of the French outfit for the 2025/26 campaign and promoted Ganiou from the bench into the starting XI halfway through the season.

Last summer, Ganiou had broached leaving Lens with Sage as he desired more playing time. The manager blocked that request at the time with Sage backing him to make an impression over the campaign.

Sage has been a staunch advocate of the youngster. Following a costly error against Strasbourg, which saw the opposition open the scoring in a 1-1 draw in February, the head coach said: “He played a solid game after that; the risk was that he might let that mistake rattle him. He is a young player who learns from his errors, and he was quite effective in his subsequent actions.

“In any case, it’s not the first mistake he’s made, nor will it be the last; I hope he makes plenty more and enjoys a very long career—and, above all, that he reacts the same way he did in that match.”