FIFA fines Israeli FA for anti-discrimination rules breaches

FIFA fines the Israeli FA 150,000 Swiss francs for failing to combat racism in football, particularly regarding Beitar Jerusalem.

FIFA fined the Israeli Football Association (IFA) 150,000 Swiss francs ($190,700) on Thursday (March 20, 2026) for "multiple breaches" of its anti-discrimination obligations.

A report by the disciplinary committee of world football's governing body found the IFA "failed to take meaningful action against Beitar Jerusalem" for "persistent and well-documented racist behaviour".

In October 2024, the Palestine Football Association reported allegations of discrimination by the IFA to FIFA, which began an investigation.

FIFA did not opt for the sanction requested by the Palestinian FA, which argued that the IFA should be suspended.

But the IFA was found to have failed to "abide by FIFA's statutory objectives", in a lengthy decision published by its disciplinary committee, which listed several racist incidents in Israeli football.

The disciplinary committee highlighted "deficient and substantively inadequate" sanctions against Beitar for racist and discriminatory behaviour.