Palestinian football resumes with Thousand Martyrs’ Cup

The Palestinian Football Association has launched the ‘Thousand Martyrs’ Cup’, marking the resumption of organized club football after a nearly three-year suspension caused by the conflict in the region. The tournament is dedicated to honoring more than 1,000 athletes, coaches, and officials who have been killed since October 2023.

Matches were held simultaneously across three main hubs: the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. The competition involves 226 clubs, including 146 from the West Bank, 44 from Gaza, and 36 from Lebanon. In Gaza, matches were played on limited grounds in areas like Deir al-Balah, where much of the sports infrastructure has been destroyed or occupied by displaced persons.

The tournament serves as a symbolic step toward rebuilding the Palestinian sports sector and restoring regular domestic leagues, which were halted by military actions, travel restrictions, and the destruction of stadiums and training facilities.