Uncovering the Forgotten History of the 1934 Palestine World Cup Team

In 1934, a team called Palestine entered the qualifying rounds of the football World Cup in Mussolini’s fascist Italy. However, the squad did not include any Palestinian players, being 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, exploring how British rule, Zionist organisation, and Palestinian exclusion shaped the makeup of the first team to compete internationally as Palestine. Utilizing archives, interviews with specialist historians, and the story of the 1934 qualifiers against Egypt, the film traces how the established football association eventually became Israel’s, while Palestinian football was plagued by revolt, war, and the 1948 Nakba.

Decades later, Palestinians fought to reclaim their place in world football, ultimately securing FIFA recognition in 1998.