UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, seemed to calm fears in Israel on Monday. According to multiple reports, the union sent a message to the Israel Football Association that no emergency meeting or vote on Israel’s status in European soccer is planned for this week, despite waves of rumors and speculation in recent days.
Rumors claiming that Israel’s expulsion was imminent were firmly denied, with UEFA officials maintaining that the matter is not on the agenda for Tuesday’s executive discussions.
The reassurance was also relayed to Maccabi Tel Aviv, which continues its Europa League campaign and is set to face Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday.
Israel remains a participant
Although political pressure has been exerted by countries such as Turkey, Ireland, Slovenia, and some Scandinavian states, UEFA has so far said that Israel’s participation remains unchanged.
The pressure campaign has also extended beyond Europe. UN rapporteurs have urged both UEFA and FIFA to ban Israel, with one UN official telling Sky News that “sports cannot be business as usual” and that excluding Israel is a “red line.”
The Palestinian Football Association has repeatedly demanded Israel’s suspension, most recently in the wake of the death of Palestinian player Suleiman al-Obeid, known as the “Palestinian Pelé,” in an Israeli airstrike in August.
US is a strong ally to Israel
At the same time, Israel has found significant backing from allies, particularly the United States.
With Israel currently competing in qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, American officials have pushed back against efforts to exclude the Jewish state.
Last week, a US State Department spokesperson told Sky News: “We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national soccer team from the World Cup.”
Israel is currently third in Group I of European qualifying, with matches slated for October in Norway and Italy.
FIFA, meanwhile, has not raised the issue, a fact bolstered by Israel’s close ties with the US. Sources within the international body made clear that no move has been made to ban Israel at the global level.
The Guardian reported on Monday that even in the event that UEFA were to impose sanctions, the ban would apply only to UEFA-run competitions such as the Nations League and the Europa League, not to FIFA events.
That means Israel’s World Cup qualifying campaign would not be affected, as FIFA retains control over its tournaments.
Israel remains cautious, acknowledging that any escalation could spark renewed pressure, but is optimistic that the current noise is more scare campaign than reality.