 "Why UEFA is unlikely to block Israel from World Cup qualifiers despite pressure")
UEFA is facing pressure to suspend Israel from its competitions following the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Human rights experts and several European football officials have called for action against Israel, citing the humanitarian crisis in the region, where nearly 70,000 people have lost their lives so far.
Norway and other countries have also voiced concerns, with the Norwegian Football Federation planning to donate proceeds from their upcoming home game against Israel to support humanitarian organisations in Gaza. The Palestinian Football Association and even Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez have demanded a ban.
Reports suggested that UEFA could hold an emergency vote to decide whether to ban Israel from European football. According to The Guardian, UEFA may suspend Israel from its competitions, but is unlikely to block the nation from playing in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which are organised in collaboration with FIFA.
Why UEFA may not block Israel in World Cup qualifiers?
The report claims that UEFA may ban Israel only from competitions that it directly controls, such as the Nations League and the Europa League. This would mean that Israeli clubs like Maccabi Tel Aviv could be removed from European tournaments if the vote goes through.
However, the World Cup qualifier games are expected to continue as scheduled because UEFA doesn’t have the right to unilaterally decide on a team’s participation. Israel’s men’s team is set to play Norway and Italy on October 11 and 15, respectively.
Meanwhile, the United States, which is co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has strongly opposed any ban against Israel. A US State Department spokesperson recently told Sky News that the US would work to stop any attempt to prevent Israel from participating in the tournament.
The decision on Israel’s participation in UEFA competitions is expected to be made by its executive committee, which consists of 19 members. According to the report, most of these members are in favour of a ban on Israel.
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