Trump administration will 'stop any effort' to ban Israel from soccer
The administration of United States President Donald Trump has vowed to help Israel resist increasing pressure for its teams to be suspended from soccer.
"We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel's national soccer team from the World Cup," a State Department spokesperson told media Thursday, including BBC Sport's Dan Roan and Sean Kearns.
European soccer body UEFA is reportedly moving toward a vote on whether to ban Israeli teams over the war in Gaza, and a majority of its executive committee is expected to support the country's suspension. A ban would likely affect Israel's women's and men's teams of various age groups in international soccer and also result in the expulsion of Maccabi Tel-Aviv from the Europa League.
FIFA and UEFA banned Russia from competitive international fixtures and continental club competitions four days after the country invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Numerous voices have spoken out against Israel's participation in soccer since its military campaign in Gaza started following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. A group of United Nations experts said Tuesday that suspending Israeli teams was "a necessary response to address the ongoing genocide."
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the Italian Soccer Coaches' Association are among other figures and organizations that have called for Israel to be banned in recent weeks. Some matches in Europe's elite domestic leagues and continental competitions have featured anti-Israel and pro-Palestine banners and chants from fans.
The Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people while 251 others were taken hostage. At least 65,419 people in Gaza have been killed in retaliatory Israeli attacks since, according to figures from the territory's health ministry cited by BBC News' David Gritten on Wednesday.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sports and culture minister Miki Zohar, and soccer federation president Moshe Zuares have been working "intensively behind the scenes" to block efforts to drive Israel out of UEFA, Zohar's office told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The seemingly close relationship between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and President Trump also casts doubts on whether Israel would be excluded should it qualify for the World Cup. FIFA oversees the prestigious international tournament, and the 2026 edition will feature 78 matches in the United States, plus 13 each for Canada and Mexico.
Israel is currently placed below Norway and Italy in Group I of UEFA's World Cup qualification cycle. Norway has a strong hold on first place, which offers a direct route to the tournament in North America, with five wins from five matches. Teams that finish second in their group enter playoffs for a spot at the World Cup; Italy and Israel are both on nine points, but Italy is above Israel courtesy of its superior goal difference.