Uefa could decide as early as next week whether to suspend Israel from its competitions, with the governing body facing mounting pressure from both inside and outside the game. Reports suggest a vote on Israel’s participation in World Cup qualifying and Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Europa League involvement may be held by Uefa’s executive committee before the international break on 6 October.
Uefa has stated no meetings are scheduled for next week, with the next executive committee gathering due on 3 December. However, sources within national federations indicate events are coming to a head, and Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin is increasingly expected to take action. A group of senior diplomats recently called for a ban following a UN report accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
Italy, which is due to face Israel in qualifiers on 14 October, is under pressure to act. Italian federation president Gabriele Gravina, a Uefa exco member, said a boycott would favour Israel and denounced the suffering in Gaza. Any suspension would require a simple majority vote by the 19 exco members, with insiders suggesting it could pass with few abstentions or votes against.
The US government has warned it would oppose any such decision, with the country co-hosting the 2026 World Cup. A State Department spokesperson said they would work to stop any attempt to ban Israel from the tournament. Fifa is already investigating allegations of matches staged in illegal West Bank settlements, following a Palestinian Football Association request.
PFA president Jibril Rajoub said he will meet Ceferin and IOC president Kirsty Coventry next week, arguing Israel should be sanctioned for violating Fifa statutes. Meanwhile, in cycling, sponsor Premier Tech has called for a name change for the Israel-Premier Tech team after protests disrupted the Vuelta a España.
