LONDON: UEFA, the governing body of European football, will hold an emergency meeting next week to decide whether to suspend Israel’s membership.
This development comes after a United Nations Commission of Inquiry accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. According to British media, most members of UEFA’s Executive Committee support suspending Israel, and many national football federations have also backed the move.
If Israel is suspended, it will be barred from taking part in the European qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which are organized by UEFA. Such a ban could also increase pressure on FIFA to take stronger action against Israel.
In August, UEFA displayed a banner reading “Stop Killing Children, Stop Killing Civilians” during the Super Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur in Udine, Italy.
Earlier this week, the UN Human Rights Office urged both FIFA and UEFA to act, saying Israel’s suspension is necessary to address ongoing atrocities in the occupied Palestinian territories. UN experts added that sports organizations must not create the impression that “everything is normal” when countries commit serious human rights violations.
Israel is currently third in Group I of the World Cup qualifiers, behind Norway and Italy. Norway has announced it will donate all proceeds from its October 11 home match against Israel to Doctors Without Borders for humanitarian aid in Gaza. Israel’s next match is scheduled against Italy on October 14.
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