FIFA

Iran to play its final World Cup warm-up match behind closed doors, head to Mexico on Saturday

The soccer team, staff, and Iranian citizens can enter the US for the event, but officials with ties to the regime will be barred from attending.

|ByREUTERS
Members of Iran's national soccer team attend a farewell ceremony ahead of their departure to the 2026 World Cup in Tehran, Iran, May 13, 2026.
A DJI Matrice 350 RTK, operated by NJ Transit, flies over an Emergency Response Drill and training exercise at the NJ Transit Meadowlands Rail Line at MetLife Stadium, ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, US, April 18, 2026.

US bars drone flights over sites of World Cup matches

The US Federal Aviation Administration said that drone operators who enter restricted airspace without approval can face fines of up to $100,000.

|ByREUTERS
A MAN gestures as people gather at a farewell ceremony for Iran’s national soccer team ahead of their departure to the 2026 World Cup, in Tehran, in May 2026.

FIFA and Iran’s identity crisis - opinion

Iranians believe that regimes come and go, but the cultural and historical idea of Iran persists beyond any single political order.

|ByNEGAR KARAMATI
FIFA President Gianni Infantino (C) interacts with the President of the Palestine Football Association Jibril Rajoub as the Vice-President of Israel Football Association Basim Sheikh Suliman (L) looks on during a heated moment in the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada on April 30. PremiumPremium

Red card diplomacy: Palestine’s handshake foul rattles FIFA ahead of 2026 World Cup

Palestinian Football Association turns the World Cup tournament into a game of political football

|ByGIL ZOHAR

Israel fails to make it to U-20 FIFA final, to play for top three

Israel will play in the third place game on Sunday against the loser of the second semifinal between Italy and South Korea.

JUNE 8, 2023ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN, JERUSALEM POST STAFF
May 24, 2023 Israel players pose for a team group photo before the match

Israel's U20 World Cup success shows need to fight sports boycotts - opinion

A pattern of boycotts and discrimination against Israeli teams and athletes has been repeated throughout Israel’s 75-year history with the hope of turning it into a pariah and leading to its demise.

JUNE 8, 2023ByJUSTIN AMLER
ISRAELI TEAM members celebrate after the quarterfinal victory over Brazil at the FIFA U20 World Cup Argentina 2023 on Saturday.

Uruguayan Jewish soccer fans face World Cup dilemma: Root for Uruguay or Israel?

Strong pro-Israel sentiment is common throughout Latin America’s large Jewish communities.

JUNE 8, 2023ByJUAN MELAMED/JTA
FIFA U20 World Cup Argentina 2023 - Quarter Final - Israel v Brazil - Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan, Argentina - June 3, 2023 Israel's Anan Khalaili and Ilay Feingold celebrate after the match

Israel's FIFA U20 World Cup success is a miracle for unity - comment

For a moment – just a moment – Israel's U20 World Cup success gave everyone in this divided land something to cheer about. Finally, consensus over something.

JUNE 7, 2023ByHERB KEINON
ANAN KHALAILI (left) is the latest sporting hero for Israel. The 18-year-old Sakhnin native scored a dramatic stoppage-time goal to send the blue-and-white to a 1-0 victory over Uzbekistan in the last-16 of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Argentina

Israel continues historic run at FIFA Under-20, advances to semi-finals

The team dedicated the historic victory to the IDF soldiers murdered in the terrorist attack along the Egyptian border earlier.

JUNE 3, 2023ByJOSH HALICKMAN
FIFA U20 World Cup Argentina 2023 - Quarter Final - Israel v Brazil - Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan, Argentina - June 3, 2023 Israel's Anan Khalaili celebrates scoring their first goal

Israel reaches FIFA Under 20 World Cup quarterfinals with 0:1 victory

Israel successfully claimed victory just minutes before the end of the match, scoring a goal at the 97th-minute mark.

MAY 31, 2023ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
ANAN KHALAILI (left) is the latest sporting hero for Israel. The 18-year-old Sakhnin native scored a dramatic stoppage-time goal to send the blue-and-white to a 1-0 victory over Uzbekistan in the last-16 of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Argentina

FIFA Under-20 World Cup: Israel beats Japan 2-1 in historic match

Israel will face off against Uzbekistan in the round of 16 on Tuesday night.

MAY 28, 2023ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
May 24, 2023 Israel players pose for a team group photo before the match

Palestinian flag causes tension at Israel’s first U-20 World Cup game

On Sunday, Israel lost 2-1 in the first match of the first round of the U-20 World Cup, which features the world’s best soccer talent under 20 years old.

MAY 23, 2023ByJUAN MELAMED/JTA
A demonstrator holding an umbrella with colors of Palestinian flag stands by an Israeli flag during a protest.

U20 National Team kicks off World Cup

After tournament moved to Argentina, blue-and-white grouped with Japan, Colombia and Senegal

MAY 18, 2023ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MEMBERS OF the Israel Under-20 National Team take part in an event with the Buenos Aires Jewish community this week prior to the start of the FIFA U20 World Cup.

Soccer body FIFA supports two Israeli sports programs

FIFA renewed its support for a Peres Center for Peace and Innovation program, while for the first time awarding a grant to NPO "The Equalizer."

APRIL 24, 2023ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Children in the Peres Center's sports projects.