Fifa is considering a proposal to stage a youth football match between Israel and Palestine as part of a new under-15 festival, aiming to promote peace through sport. The concept is under discussion among senior officials but has not yet been formally presented to the Israeli and Palestinian football associations.

The plan involves incorporating the match into a broader series of “festival-style tournaments” for boys and girls under 15 years old, open to all 211 Fifa member associations. The inaugural boys' tournament is scheduled to take place in the United States later this year, with a girls' event planned for 2027.

While the initiative is intended to foster dialogue and reconciliation, it faces probable resistance, particularly from the Palestine Football Association. The Palestinian federation has expressed strong opposition to Israel’s participation in global football events and has called for Israel’s suspension from international competition.

Tensions between the two associations remain high. At the Fifa Congress in Vancouver in April, an effort by Fifa president Gianni Infantino to stage a public handshake between Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub and Israeli Football Association vice-president Basim Sheikh Suliman was unsuccessful, as Rajoub declined to engage.

Despite these challenges, Fifa officials have continued to explore youth-focused initiatives as a means to bridge divides through sport. The proposed youth match reflects a broader strategy to use football’s unifying power to encourage peaceful interaction between conflicting parties at the grassroots level. However, whether both sides will agree to participate remains uncertain as discussions continue.