Calls for Israel’s suspension from international football have reached fever pitch as human rights organizations, United Nations experts, and prominent legal scholars intensify pressure on FIFA and UEFA to act in the wake of a damning UN report on the conflict in Gaza. The debate, swirling around the intersection of sport and geopolitics, has put world football’s governing bodies under an unprecedented spotlight—one that’s only growing brighter as the 2026 World Cup, set to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, draws nearer.
On October 2, 2025, at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich, President Gianni Infantino addressed the mounting controversy during the opening of a FIFA Council meeting. Though Israel’s status was not on the formal agenda, Infantino’s remarks left no doubt that the issue was top of mind. "FIFA cannot solve geopolitical problems, but it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values," Infantino said, echoing his previous statements and emphasizing that the sport’s role is to foster peace and unity, not to serve as an arbiter in international disputes.
Infantino continued, "Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is one of peace and unity." It’s a sentiment that strikes a familiar chord in the world of sports diplomacy, but for many activists and legal experts, such words are no longer enough.
That same day, Infantino met with Jibril Rajoub, president of the Palestinian Football Association, in Zurich—a meeting that followed Rajoub’s talks with International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry in Lausanne. Infantino publicly praised Rajoub’s resilience on social media, though neither his post nor FIFA’s official statement mentioned Israel or its football federation.
The calls for action have been relentless. Amnesty International, a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza, has urged both FIFA and UEFA to suspend the Israeli Football Association from all competitions. Their demands are echoed by a growing chorus of UN human rights experts, who argue that "sports must reject the perception that it is business as usual." In a powerful letter sent on October 2, 2025, more than 30 international human rights experts—including former UN special rapporteurs Richard Falk and John Dugard—demanded UEFA expel Israeli teams until "justice and accountability are achieved for Palestinians." The letter, organized by the #GameOverIsrael campaign, insists that UEFA must not be complicit in "sports washing such flagrant breaches of international law, including but not limited to the act of genocide."
The experts’ letter references the United Nations Commission of Inquiry’s report from September 16, 2025, which concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe Israel committed four of the five genocidal acts defined under international law since the war in Gaza began in 2023. The letter claims that since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 421 Palestinian footballers and destroyed the majority of Gaza’s sports infrastructure, including stadiums and the Palestinian Football Association headquarters. The signatories argue that the Israel Football Association’s (IFA) continued participation in UEFA competitions is "untenable" and that UEFA risks complicity in the normalization of war crimes if it fails to act.
Meanwhile, UEFA reportedly paused a vote on suspending Israel after President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a 20-point "peace plan" for Gaza. Critics, including the letter’s signatories, say the plan was developed without Palestinian input and fails to impose any real obligations on Israel as the occupying power. "While the plan purports to offer a pathway to peace, in reality it undermines international law, Palestinian sovereignty, and the principles of self-determination," the experts wrote. Craig Mokhiber, former director of the New York office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told Zeteo, "All of it comes packaged in this threat from Donald Trump, who said, ‘either you accept this or we’re going to let Israel continue and complete its genocide in Gaza.’ That’s not negotiation. It’s gunboat diplomacy."
FIFA Vice-President Victor Montagliani has made clear that any decision regarding Israel’s suspension rests with UEFA, since Israel participates in European competitions. "First and foremost, [Israel] is a member of UEFA, no different than I have to deal with a member of my region for whatever reason. They have to deal with that," Montagliani stated on October 1, 2025. The debate has drawn comparisons to FIFA’s 2022 suspension of Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, with critics—such as Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness—arguing that similar standards should be applied to Israel.
The United States government, under President Donald Trump, has been unequivocal in its opposition to any move that would exclude Israel from international football. In the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup, the Trump administration has reiterated its commitment to ensuring Israel’s participation, pledging to "absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national soccer team from the World Cup."
On the pitch, Israel’s national team remains active, currently competing in UEFA’s World Cup qualifying rounds for the 2026 tournament. As of early October, the team sits third in its group with nine points, trailing leaders Norway by six. The top team in each group qualifies directly for the finals, while runners-up must battle through play-offs. Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv is also competing in the UEFA Europa League, highlighting the country’s ongoing integration in European football circuits despite the political storm.
The controversy has not been confined to international organizations and governments. National football associations and clubs in Turkey, Spain, Ireland, and Italy have joined the call for a ban, arguing that continued participation by Israeli teams undermines the integrity of international sport. Spain’s prime minister has publicly demanded Israeli teams be barred from global competition, while Turkey became the first UEFA member to formally request Israel’s suspension.
The letter from human rights experts concludes with a stark warning: "A UEFA ban on the IFA remains necessary and urgent, and is required to ensure legal compliance. By continuing to host Israeli teams, UEFA risks becoming complicit in the normalization of war crimes. We urge you to uphold the integrity of the sport and immediately suspend the IFA and all affiliated teams from UEFA competitions until Israel ends the genocide and its unlawful occupation, and fully complies with its obligations under international law."
As the debate rages, the world of football finds itself at a crossroads, caught between its mission to unite and the growing demands for justice and accountability. With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon and pressure mounting from all sides, the coming months will likely determine whether the sport’s governing bodies can navigate these turbulent waters—or whether the beautiful game will be forced to reckon with its own role in a deeply divided world.
