The Palestine national football team founded in 1928.  The team gained FIFA affiliation in 1929.  Since its international début Palestine has performed well.  The team’s success is remarkable considering the restrictions on games due to security fears and travel issues.

Football took off in Palestine during the British Mandate era from 1920 to 1948.  By participating in the 1934 world cup qualifiers, the team became the first from Asia to enter the competition.

After the second world war and Israel’s creation, the team reformed.  A new Palestinian Football Federation began in 1952.  This federation was superseded in 1962 by the Palestinian Football Association.  The team was re-accepted by FIFA in 1998.

Though Palestine has yet to qualify for a world cup, its qualification results have been strong.  An exception was the 2010 competition.  After losing a first round game to Singapore 4-0, the return leg could not be played because of Israeli travel restrictions.