Since 2018, PUMA has become one of the key targets of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, for its partnership with the Israel Football Association (IFA), which includes teams based in Israel’s illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian land. In addition, PUMA’s current and past exclusive licensees in Israel have operations in illegal Israeli settlements. The BDS movement states that PUMA's affiliation to the IFA brings legitimacy to its actions, and the expansion of the illegal land grabs, despite the IFA being repeatedly condemned by UN advisors, dozens of elected officials, civil society and human rights groups.

In November 2023, amid escalating calls to boycott PUMA, as Israel's bombardment of Gaza reaches two months, PUMA has announced it will end its sponsorship of the IFA in 2024, alleging the move was planned last year and is not related to consumer boycott calls.