A complaint filed at the International Criminal Court accuses FIFA president Gianni Infantino and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin of aiding war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory. The 120-page document, submitted on February 16 by advocacy groups and Palestinian stakeholders, focuses on the inclusion of settlement-based Israeli football clubs in official leagues. UEFA has dismissed the allegations as unsubstantiated, while FIFA has not responded.
On February 16, 2026, advocacy groups including Irish Sport for Palestine, Scottish Sport for Palestine, Just Peace Advocates, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, and Sport Scholars for Justice in Palestine filed a formal complaint with the ICC Office of the Prosecutor. The document also involves Palestinian footballers, clubs, landowners, and a human rights organization in Palestine. It alleges that FIFA and UEFA enable Israeli football clubs located in illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian land to participate in leagues organized by the Israel Football Association. These clubs host matches on seized land and receive financial and structural support from the governing bodies, with some competing in UEFA-organized events.
The complaint claims these policies normalize life in the settlements, legitimize Israel's occupation, and contribute to the transfer of civilians into occupied territories, violating the Rome Statute. It further accuses the organizations of aiding apartheid, noting that Palestinians are barred from attending matches, playing for, or managing these clubs. The groups argue that FIFA and UEFA operate with impunity due to a lack of accountability mechanisms for human rights violations.
Israel rejects United Nations and International Court of Justice assertions that its West Bank settlements violate international law, according to the New York Times. In October 2025, Amnesty International urged FIFA and UEFA to suspend the Israeli Football Association until settlement clubs are excluded from its leagues, stating that football cannot be separated from the occupation.
UEFA responded: “The accusations against our president are as sensational as they are unsubstantiated, and we regret the predictable sensationalism surrounding them. Our position has always been clear: we stand for sport and humanity, not politics, and our actions speak louder than any populist headlines. We will not dignify these claims with any further comment — facts belong in the proper institutions, not on platforms desperate for clicks.” FIFA had not commented at the time of publication.
In a February 2 interview with Sky News, Infantino described banning Israel as a defeat and expressed interest in amending FIFA statutes to prevent bans based on political leaders' actions. UEFA considered voting on Israel's European participation in late September 2025 but paused after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on September 29.
The ICC, based in The Hague, will conduct a preliminary examination to assess if an investigation is warranted. Individuals, including organizational leaders, may face charges, though FIFA and UEFA as entities cannot.
