September 26, 2025 | 03:55 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - UEFA is preparing to vote on a possible ban on Israel's participation in international competitions due to the Gaza genocide. According to the AP report cited by ESPN, the majority of the 20 members of the UEFA Executive Committee are likely to support the vote, which could result in suspending Israel's national team from international events.
The vote will impact both the national team and clubs from Israel, preventing them from participating in various competitions, including the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The Israeli national team is scheduled to continue the European zone qualifiers by facing Norway and Italy in the next two weeks.
It is still unclear whether the global football body FIFA will follow UEFA's lead. Due to the close relationship between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald Trump, FIFA faces a more complex situation. Trump helped with diplomacy and supported the organization of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The U.S. State Department has recently taken a firm stance to stop any efforts aimed at banning Israel from participating in the World Cup.
UEFA's plan comes amid increasing calls to exclude Israel from international sports events. Global criticism of the humanitarian impact of Israel's actions, including bombing Gaza and blocking food aid supplies to the Palestinian territories, has been a driving force.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez believes that Israel should be banned from international sports events, similar to the sanctions imposed on Russia following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin had previously signaled a tough stance against Israel. During the UEFA Super Cup match in Udine last month, banners with the words "Stop Killing Children" and "Stop Killing Civilians" were displayed on the field.
On the other hand, Israel continues to lobby against its expulsion from UEFA. Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar stated that they, along with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel Football Association President Moshe Zuares, are working intensively behind the scenes to thwart the efforts.
UEFA faces a dilemma. Although no European team has officially refused to play against Israel, the Norwegian and Italian football federations have expressed their discomfort. The Norwegian Football Association has even pledged to donate the proceeds from ticket sales for the match against Israel on October 11 in Oslo to support humanitarian aid in Gaza through the NGO Doctors Without Borders.
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