Norway’s football federation has announced it will donate all profits from its upcoming World Cup qualifying match against Israel to humanitarian aid in Gaza, citing the ongoing suffering of civilians in the region.
The match is scheduled to take place in Oslo on 11 October.
“Neither we nor other organisations can remain indifferent to the humanitarian suffering and disproportionate attacks that the civilian population in Gaza has endured for a long time,” Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness said in a statement on Tuesday. “We want to donate the proceeds to a humanitarian organisation that saves lives in Gaza every day and provides active emergency aid on the ground.”
It is not yet clear how much the federation expects to raise through ticket sales, which begin next week.
The Israeli football federation responded on Wednesday, urging Norway also to condemn the 7 October 2023 attacks and hostage-taking by Hamas. In a statement first reported by British newspaper The Telegraph, the Israeli federation requested assurances that the money would not be diverted to terrorist organisations or used for whale hunting, a practice for which Norway has faced international criticism.
The Norwegian federation said it is coordinating with UEFA and local authorities on security measures for the match, with extra precautions expected to reduce stadium capacity by up to 3,000 tickets. Ullevaal Stadium usually accommodates 26,000 spectators for national-team fixtures.
Israel has been unable to host international matches at home since October 2023, staging its “home” qualifying game against Norway in Hungary instead. Norway won that match 4-2 in March and currently tops the five-nation qualifying group, ahead of Israel and Italy.
Meanwhile, the Italian Soccer Coaches’ Association (AIAC) has formally urged Israel’s temporary suspension from international competition, ahead of Italy’s crucial qualifiers against Israel in the coming months.
In a letter sent to the Italian federation to be forwarded to UEFA and FIFA, the AIAC stated: “Given the daily massacres, which have also resulted in hundreds of deaths among managers, coaches, and athletes, it is legitimate, necessary, and indeed a duty to request the temporary exclusion of Israel from sporting competitions. The pain of the past cannot cloud anyone’s conscience or humanity.”
Italy is set to play Israel on neutral ground in Debrecen, Hungary, on 8 September, before hosting the return match in Udine on 14 October.
“We could just focus on playing and look the other way. But we believe that is not right,” AIAC vice president Giancarlo Camolese said.