FIFA to review palestinian request to suspend Israel from International Football

The FIFA is addressing a request from the Palestinian Football Association to suspend Israel from international football due to the conflict with Hamas. FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that an independent legal review will be conducted to assess the Palestinian demands before a special council meeting convenes within two months.

During FIFA’s annual congress in Bangkok, leaders from both the Palestinian and Israeli football associations presented their cases.

The Palestinian Football Association has frequently raised issues about travel restrictions for its players, the inclusion of West Bank settlement teams in Israeli leagues, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The Palestinian proposal cites international law violations by Israel and the destruction of football infrastructure in Gaza.

Palestinian football leader Jibril Rajoub highlighted the severe humanitarian impact on Palestinians, noting that 193 footballers are among the many casualties in the conflict.

Infantino emphasized the need for a fair process, stating that the matter couldn’t be put to a vote immediately and must be handled by FIFA’s governing council.

He stressed the importance of keeping football free from political divisions, highlighting that FIFA’s responsibility is to apply its statutes and regulations impartially.

The FIFA council had previously condemned the violence and reaffirmed that football should unite rather than divide people.

This situation echoes FIFA’s and UEFA’s decisions to suspend Russian teams due to the Ukraine conflict, but with Israel, no European teams have refused to compete against them since their integration into UEFA in 1994.