A forgotten battle over football, identity and recognition – how a Jewish team competed as Palestine in the ۱۹۳۰s and beyond.
In ۱۹۳۴, a team called Palestine entered the qualifying rounds of the football World Cup in Mussolini’s fascist Italy. But it did not include any Palestinian players. It was drawn largely from the Jewish sporting movement under the British Mandate, at a time when football reflected the changing face of Palestine.
This documentary uncovers the forgotten history of Mandate-era football – how British rule, Zionist organisation and Palestinian exclusion shaped the makeup of the first team to compete internationally as Palestine. Through archives, interviews with specialist historians and the story of the ۱۹۳۴ qualifiers against Egypt, the film traces how the established football association became Israel’s, while Palestinian football was plagued by revolt, war and the ۱۹۴۸ Nakba. Decades later, Palestinians fought to reclaim their place in world football, finally securing FIFA recognition in ۱۹۹۸.
Published On ۷ Oct ۲۰۲۶
