In a move that has sparked international concern, FIFA is facing mounting pressure to intervene as Israeli authorities prepare to demolish a football field in the Aida refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The demolition order, issued on December 31st by the Israeli military, has ignited a campaign to save the pitch, with advocates appealing to FIFA and UEFA to step in and prevent the destruction of a vital recreational space for Palestinian children.
The Israeli military claims the football field was constructed unlawfully in an area near the concrete barrier wall Israel built in the West Bank. They stated that a "seizure order and a construction prohibition order are in effect along the security fence". However, Mohammad Abu Srour, an administrator at Aida Youth Center which manages the field, said that the military gave them just seven days to demolish the field themselves. It is common practice for the Israeli military to order Palestinians to carry out demolitions, and if they do not comply, the military will destroy the structure and then bill the Palestinians for the costs.
The planned demolition has been met with dismay by the local community, especially the children who rely on the field as one of the few safe places to play. Rital Sarhan, a 13-year-old player on a girls' team in the Aida refugee camp, expressed her devastation: "If the field gets demolished, this will destroy our dreams and our future. We cannot play any other place but this field, the camp does not have spaces". The artificial pitch was installed in 2021 on land owned by the Armenian Church in Aida refugee camp, near Israel's separation wall.
The appeal to FIFA highlights the organization's stated objectives of promoting peace and solidarity through football. In November 2025, FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that pitches would represent “a message of solidarity and a belief in football's ability to bring communities together, even in the most challenging contexts”. The project is co-funded by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), which has committed CHF 120,000 (about $150,000), according to FIFA. Critics argue that demolishing the Aida pitch would directly contradict these objectives, especially as FIFA and Switzerland are planning to support football infrastructure projects in both Israel and the Palestinian territories.
This is not the first time FIFA has been urged to take action regarding football in the region. In the past, the organization has faced calls to ban Israel for various reasons, including restrictions on the movement of Palestinian players and the destruction of sporting spaces in Gaza. Human Rights Watch has also stated that FIFA has been condoning football matches played on “stolen” land in the West Bank, and has called for Israeli clubs based in settlements to be forced to relocate.
The current situation has garnered attention from prominent figures, including children's content creator Ms. Rachel, who has called on FIFA, UEFA, and football players to help prevent the demolition. A petition to save the field has already gathered over 196,000 signatures. The fate of the football field remains uncertain, but the pressure on FIFA to intervene is steadily increasing as the demolition deadline approaches.
