Gaza amputee football team trains in destroyed stadiums

Gaza Al-Irada, an amputee football club, continues training sessions inside the damaged Palestine Stadium in Gaza City while the 2026 World Cup opens in North America. Club members exchange passes on crutches in one of the few remaining usable sports areas. The stadium sustained damage during the conflict that began in October 2023.

Training conditions Ali Tafesh, 24, lost a leg after an airstrike on his family home in February 2024. He joined the club six months ago after previously competing as a sprinter. He stated that transportation is unavailable and that he walks more than two hours on crutches to reach the field.

The club also lacks replacement crutches, sports shoes, and safety equipment. Saadi al-Masri, 40, lost his leg in a childhood accident and has represented Palestine in swimming, volleyball, and amputee football at Asian championships. He said the team was scheduled to participate in international qualifiers this year but the conflict prevented travel.

He added that FIFA announced a February partnership to build 50 mini-pitches, five full-size stadiums, a football academy, and a 20,000-seat national stadium, though none of the projects have started.

Infrastructure losses A Palestinian Football Association report issued in March stated that 1,007 members of Gaza's sporting community have been killed since October 2023. The same report recorded 265 damaged or destroyed sports facilities, including fields, gyms, and pools.

The World Health Organization estimates that between 5,000 and 6,000 people in Gaza have undergone amputations since the war began. Gaza Al-Irada was established in May 2018 to allow people who lost limbs to return to sport. Its members include individuals injured in earlier conflicts as well as the current one.