In October 2017, FIFA decided not to take any action against six Israeli football clubs based in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. Human Rights Watch has responded saying: “FIFA has decided to continue sponsoring games in illegal Israeli settlements, in contempt of international law and contrary to its professed commitment to human rights." The Palestinians and other stakeholders argue that the settlement clubs violate FIFA's own rules that prohibit a member association from holding competitions on another member's territory without their permission. They suggest that by allowing the Israel Football Association (IFA) to hold matches inside settlements, FIFA is engaging in business activity that supports Israeli settlements, contrary to its human rights commitments. The IFA has claimed that its purpose is to benefit football and that it seeks to uphold the principle of separation between sports and politics. In 2015, FIFA created a monitoring committee responsible for addressing a number of Palestinian complaints, including over Israeli football teams based in settlements.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre has collated a series of materials below, including FIFA's statement and responses of rights groups.