Ahead of the most important football match in the history of Palestine’s national team, on the cusp of potential qualification for the 2026 World Cup, the brothers discuss with Bassil Mikdadi, Palestinian journalist and creator of footballpalestine.com, the impact of the ongoing Gaza genocide as well as the deeper context of Palestine national team’s rich journey over many decades, its struggle to assert Palestinian national unity in the face of Israel’s occupation, blockade and policy of fragmentation. We also discuss the grassroots solidarity with Palestinians across the football world and the campaign to kick Israel’s national football team out of FIFA, which, along with the European association UEFA shamefully continues to allow it to play official matches during the genocide despite immediately suspending Russia after its Ukraine invasion. Finally, we discuss the role of media and the silence/complicity of all too many football journalists in covering Israeli atrocities and the intimidation of players when it comes to showing solidarity.
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Date of recording: June 9, 2025.
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Music by Hadiiiiii
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