Palestinian club football is set to resume officially on September 4 after a break of nearly three years, with the Palestinian Football Association launching the Thousand Martyrs Cup as the first step in restoring domestic activity. PFA president Jibril Rajoub announced the competition at a news conference on Monday at the Joseph Blatter Academy in al-Bireh in the West Bank.

The inaugural tournament will include 226 clubs: 146 from the occupied West Bank, 44 from Gaza and 36 from Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. Early rounds will be played in groups based on regions and association branches. Opening matches are planned simultaneously in the three areas, including fixtures in the West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon's Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp.

According to the PFA, the competition commemorates 1,014 Palestinian athletes killed during the past three years of conflict. Separate trophies are being made for the West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon, each carrying the athletes' names. Eligible clubs will receive equal financial support for equipment and travel costs. The PFA said it plans to introduce a regular tiered league structure in the following season.