Irish Sport for Palestine accuses Fifa and Uefa of 'aiding and abetting war crimes'

The organisation said the complaint to the International Criminal Court centres on both organisations' inclusion of Israeli football clubs based in illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian territory in its tournaments

Israel's midfielder, no. 20 Ethane Azoulay and Belgium's midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga during the Uefa Nations League, match at the Bozsik Arena in Budapest, Hungary, in 2024. Precedent was set by Belgium in 2024 when they deemed it 'impossible to organise this very high-risk match' due to tensions linked to the degree of public ill-feeling towards the Israeli state. File picture: Attila Kisbenedek/AFP

The Irish Sport for Palestine organisation is part of an international group which has complained to the International Criminal Court (ICC) about Fifa and Uefa, accusing the football administrators of "aiding and abetting war crimes" by allowing Israeli teams' continued participation in football.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino and Uefa President Aleksandr Čeferin were specifically accused of the "transfer of civilian population into occupied territories", and "crimes against humanity" under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The complaint was filed on Monday, a statement said.

Irish Sport for Palestine said the complaint centres on both organisations' inclusion of Israeli football clubs based in illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian territory in its tournaments.

"Fifa and Uefa permit these clubs to play in leagues organised by the Israel Football Association and host matches on the seized land. They also provide financial and structural support to settlement clubs, some of which have played in the Uefa-organised competitions," the organisation said.

This, they claim, is in breach of Fifa and Uefa statutes and "normalises life in the settlements and legitimises Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine, contributing to the transfer of civilian population into occupied territories".

The organisation said:

The practice also aids and abets apartheid. 

"Palestinians are not allowed to enter the matches as spectators, play for, or become managers of the illegal settlement clubs. Settlements are a part of the Israeli government’s colonial project and Uefa and Fifa’s policies under the political leadership of their presidents assist with the conduct of these criminal activities.

"Under the political leadership of Mr Čeferin, Uefa has effectively extended its own territory and administrative jurisdiction into the occupied Palestine – ie, into areas falling under the jurisdiction of Palestine Football Association and thus the Asian Football Confederation."

The statement claims "these global corporations are operating with impunity and there are no effective internal or external accountability mechanisms for them or their leaders for violations of human rights and international law".

The 120-page filing and evidence was made to the Office of Prosecutor of the ICC by several parties including a group of Palestinian footballers, Palestinian clubs, owners of the land, a human rights organisation in Palestine, and advocacy groups: Irish Sport for Palestine, Scottish Sport for Palestine, Just Peace Advocates, Sport Scholars for Justice in Palestine, and Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor.

Nations League fixture

The complaint comes amid scrutiny of Ireland's Nations League fixture with Israel and whether it should be played in Dublin.

Informal talks have taken place between the FAI and An Garda Síochána since the countries were paired in group B3 alongside Austria and Kosovo at last Thursday’s draw in Brussels.

Precedent was set by Belgium in 2024 when they deemed it “impossible to organise this very high-risk match” due to tensions linked to the degree of public ill-feeling towards the Israeli state.

Last week, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the game should go ahead and that a decision on where the away leg of the fixture should take place was a matter for the football authorities, but higher education minister James Lawless on Monday said that it would not be "wise" to do so.