UEFA Set To Vote On Suspending Israel From International Football

• UEFA’s executive committee is preparing to vote on suspending Israel from international competitions due to the war in Gaza, a move that could block its teams from the World Cup.
• FIFA’s position remains uncertain, with President Gianni Infantino maintaining close ties to Donald Trump, while the U.S. State Department has vowed to oppose efforts to exclude Israel.
• Israel’s leaders are lobbying UEFA to prevent suspension as protests grow, echoing the precedent set when Russia was banned after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

UEFA is moving toward a vote on suspending Israel from international football because of its military campaign in Gaza, according to sources briefed on the talks. A majority of the 20-member executive committee is expected to back the proposal, which would prevent Israeli national and club teams from competing in UEFA events and affect participation in next year’s World Cup qualifiers.

Israel’s men’s team is scheduled to resume qualifying next month with matches against Norway and Italy. Exclusion would mirror the treatment of Russia, which was suspended in 2022 after its invasion of Ukraine. At that time, UEFA members refused to play scheduled games against Russian opponents, a step that has not yet happened with Israeli teams.

FIFA’s stance is unclear. Its president Gianni Infantino has developed close ties with Donald Trump, whose administration was instrumental in securing the 2026 World Cup in North America. Infantino has been working from FIFA’s satellite office in Trump Tower this week while attending events around the UN General Assembly. A State Department spokesperson confirmed it would oppose any attempt to block Israel from World Cup participation. FIFA’s ruling council, which includes eight UEFA members, is due to meet in Zurich next week.

Pressure on UEFA has mounted as criticism of Israel’s actions grows. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recently called for Israel to be barred from global sport, just as Russia was. At the UEFA Super Cup in August, banners reading “Stop Killing Children” and “Stop Killing Civilians” were laid on the pitch before kickoff. At the Champions League final, PSG fans unveiled a “Stop Genocide in Gaza” banner without disciplinary sanction.

Last week, a UN Human Rights Council inquiry accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Protests have followed Israeli teams across Europe: outside Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Europa League fixture in Greece on Wednesday, demonstrators waved Palestinian flags while a “Stop Genocide” banner was displayed inside the stadium.

Israel’s sports minister Miki Zohar said he, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and football federation president Moshe Zuares are “working intensively behind the scenes” to block UEFA action. “The right step now is to act responsibly with the professionals and not to make statements,” his office said.

Norway and Italy’s federations have signaled unease about playing Israel. Norway pledged to donate ticket revenue from its October qualifier against Israel to Doctors Without Borders in Gaza. Both Norway’s Lise Klaveness and Italy’s Gabriele Gravina sit on UEFA’s executive committee, as does Zuares, alongside PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, who is also a Qatari government official.

Qatar’s tensions with Israel deepened earlier this month after an Israeli airstrike in Doha targeted Hamas leaders. That strike angered an ally whose mediation has been central throughout the conflict.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and his executive now face a critical decision that could isolate Israel further on the international stage. If suspension passes, it would mark one of the most consequential disciplinary moves in European football since Russia’s exclusion three years ago.

WRITTEN BY

Jarrod

Jarrod Partridge is the Founder of Futbol Chronicle and an accredited journalist with over 30 years of experience following international football. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, Jarrod has covered matches at stadiums around the world, bringing first-hand insight to every match report, player profile, and tactical analysis he writes.

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