“We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national soccer team from the world cup,” said the State Department in a statement.

There are two players, the Union of European Football Associations UEFA and FIFA, in this geopolitical quandary in which Israel’s exclusion from competing on the soccer hinges on the global diplomatic pressure versus the U.S. political establishment.

Pressure on football authorities to sanction Israel has intensified in recent weeks amidst international outcry over the humanitarian toll of the military campaign in Gaza.

UEFA is experiencing an intense amount of pressure to exclude Israel from competing in Europe. This pressure includes a statement from United Nations experts demanding Israel be suspended from international football due to accusations of genocide in Gaza. Last week, an inquiry commission commissioned by the United Nations Human Rights Council accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

This intervention comes as the European governing body, UEFA, prepares for a critical vote that is expected to favor suspending Israeli teams over the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

It is still unclear whether FIFA will move to exclude Israel, particularly given the close relations between FIFA’s leader, Gianni Infantino, and President Donald Trump. Infantino, who was recently based at FIFA’s satellite office in Trump Tower in Manhattan, is highly reliant on the Trump administration’s support to ensure a successful World Cup tournament hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico next year, especially for visa processing for officials, players, and hundreds of thousands of fans.

“Gianni Infantino has deliberately cultivated a close relationship with Donald Trump,” said Leyla Hamed, a Moroccan sports journalist based in Spain.  “He visited him several times at the White House during his presidency and they appeared side-by-side around the build-up to the 2026 World Cup.”

Activists have been confronting FIFA officials directly, with news footage showing protesters stopping President Infantino in New York to demand Israel be banned from participating in the World Cup. 

But despite these efforts, Hamed thinks a ban on Israel from the 2026 World Cup is less likely because of US political influence. “If there is pressure on Israel, it is coming from UEFA and its European members,” said Hamed. Hamed said that within the inner circle of UEFA, the momentum is real.  “A group of European federations are coordinating to force a vote to suspend Israel from UEFA competitions, and that decision only requires a simple majority,  » said Hamed.  “So it’s quite possible they will succeed there.”

The Growing Call for Israeli Ban

There is an increasing wave of opposition from UEFA fans and even political figures regarding Israel’s participation in football events. Israeli club teams, particularly Maccabi Tel Aviv, competing in UEFA club tournaments like the Europa League, have been the direct targets of fan protests in the host countries Violence clashes in Amsterdam between Maccabi fans and pro-Palestinian groups last year. This year, Amsterdam city council moves to bar Israeli sports club Maccabi Tel Aviv. 

There was violence outside a Europa League match played by Maccabi Tel Aviv in Greece, where a “Stop Genocide” banner was displayed. Celtic FC fans in Glasgow, Scotland, have consistently displayed banners calling for action, including the message « Show Israel the Red Card » in various matches. The Turkish Football Federation (a UEFA member) officially called for Israel’s suspension from all football competitions in a letter to FIFA and UEFA.

Sports officials and police are anticipating violence and protests at an upcoming match between Israel and Norway on October 11.  Violent protests and rock-throwing left police officers injured in a game between these two teams earlier this year. The protests primarily focus on the perceived double standard compared to Russia’s ban and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Echoes of the Russia Ban

Some argue that FIFA and UEFA are displaying “brazen favoritism” by delaying action against Israel. This delay is in sharp contrast to the actions by both organizations following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine when Russia was quickly banned from competing. 

Russia was suspended following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The ban applies to the national team and Russian clubs from all FIFA and UEFA competitions.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez explicitly stated that Israel should be banned from international sports events, similar to how Russia was sidelined after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“The sports organizations should consider whether it’s ethical for Israel to keep participating in international competitions. Why expel Russia after the invasion of Ukraine and not expel Israel after the invasion of Gaza?” asked Sánchez. “Until the barbarity ends, neither Russia nor Israel should be in any international competition.”

When Russia invaded Ukraine, FIFA and UEFA acted with « lightning speed, » banning Russia from all competitions four days later, asserting that “Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine.”

 Given that the Palestine Football Association is a FIFA member, critics argue that the governing body should take a similar moral stance against Israel’s actions. The decision to ban Russia in 2022 was partially fueled by a wave of UEFA member federations refusing to play Russian opponents. The wave against Israel is growing stronger. 

Yet, Israel’s sports and culture minister, Miki Zohar, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are reportedly working « intensively behind the scenes » to block these efforts to oust Israel from UEFA.

Impact on Israeli Teams

If the FIFA suspension actually happens, it would immediately impact both the Israeli national team, which is set to resume its World Cup qualifying campaign with upcoming games against Norway and Italy, and its top clubs.

“If we’re being honest, Israel is not a major force in football,” said Hamed.  “Their absence wouldn’t change the balance of the World Cup or the Champions League in any meaningful way.”

Hamed notes that Israel’s men’s national team sits in the mid-70s of the FIFA rankings and hasn’t qualified for a World Cup since 1970. That says it all I guess, more than 50 years without appearing on the biggest stage.

At club level, sides like Maccabi Haifa or Maccabi Tel Aviv sometimes make it into the Europa League or the newer Conference League, and very occasionally reach the Champions League group stage, said Hamed.  But they never go deep into the tournaments, and they’re nowhere near Europe’s elite.

The Israeli Premier League currently holds the 17th position in the UEFA league ranking based on performances in European competitions over the last five years.

So yes, they exist on the margins of European football, but they’re not shaping it.