The United States government has said it will oppose any attempt to ban Israel from competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as pressure mounts on football authorities to impose sporting sanctions following allegations of genocide in Gaza.
The United Nations commission of inquiry stated earlier this month that Israel has committed acts amounting to genocide against Palestinians since the start of the war in 2023. The report has prompted UN experts and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call for Israel’s suspension from international sporting events.
Next year’s World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. A spokesperson for the US State Department told BBC Sport: “We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national soccer team from the World Cup.”
Reports suggest that European football’s governing body UEFA, which oversees World Cup qualifying matches in Europe, may soon meet to discuss whether to suspend Israel. One senior source from a European football association told BBC Sport that pressure on UEFA has grown in recent weeks, though no meeting is currently scheduled.
Israel are due to face Norway in a World Cup qualifier in Oslo on 11 October, followed by a match against Italy in Udine on 14 October. Norwegian FA president Lise Klaveness said her organisation “cannot and will not be indifferent to the humanitarian suffering” taking place in Gaza, particularly the attacks against civilians.
The UN report concluded that four out of five acts constituting genocide under international law had likely been committed. Following this, a panel of UN human rights experts called on FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel from international football, stating: “Sports must reject the perception that it is business as usual.”
Israel has denied the allegations, insisting its military actions are a legitimate response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, at least 65,419 people have been killed in the territory since the Israeli military campaign began. These figures are widely cited by the UN and humanitarian organisations.
Calls for Israel to be banned from international competitions have intensified since the release of the UN report. Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez has called for Israel to be treated in the same way as Russia, which has been excluded from FIFA and UEFA competitions since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
“Israel cannot continue to use any international platform to whitewash its image,” Sanchez said.
The Israeli Football Association declined to comment when approached by BBC Sport, while FIFA has also been contacted for a response.
Meanwhile, UEFA has said no formal meeting has yet been scheduled to discuss the matter, though sources suggest growing momentum among member nations.
Israel currently sit third in their World Cup qualifying group, six points behind leaders Norway. Group winners qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup, while runners-up will enter play-offs.
Elsewhere, there have been public protests against Israel’s participation in European competitions. Greek side PAOK hosted Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League this week, with supporters displaying Palestinian flags and banners that read “Stop the genocide” and “Show Israel the red card.” Chants of “Free Palestine” were also heard after Maccabi fans unfurled an Israeli flag.
Earlier that day in Thessaloniki, demonstrators submitted over 1,900 signatures to UEFA supporting a petition stating there could be “no fair play with representatives of genocide.”
The match had been designated high risk due to the political situation, and PAOK had warned fans in advance that political messages or banners could lead to sanctions for the club.
The International Olympic Committee has banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing under their national flags at the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, when asked whether Israel could face similar sanctions, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said the sports movement should “showcase the good that is in humanity.”
