We have to combat efforts to ban the football team in Israel from the 2026 World Cup | World Cup news

Pressure to ban Israel from the 2026 World Cup, with a major vote expected early next week.

The United States government says it will stop any attempt to ban Israel from participating in the 2026 World Cup, amid calls for sporting sanctions against the country to genocide in Gaza.

In a statement issued to multiple media on Thursday, a US State Department spokesman pledged: “We will completely stop any effort to try to ban Israel’s national football team from the World Cup.”

Recommended stories

List of 4 elementsThe end of the list

The 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico are scheduled to play.

According to reports, pressure is built within the European Football Association UEFA to ban Israel from matches in Europe – which is likely to prevent Israel from trying to qualify for the World Cup next year – after the United Nations investigation committee ended last week that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.

It has been reported that the majority of the executive committee of 20 European Union members consisted of 20 members supporting the football team in Israel, according to the Associated Press News Agency, with a lot of concern that football response to Israel and Russia was inconsistent.

Russia was banned by both UEFA and FIFA – the ruling soccer body – in 2022 after its invasion of Ukraine, but Israel remained in international football events despite the multiple allegations of war crimes and now the United Nations declares that the country is committing genocide in Gaza.

Last week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez added pressure as it was He called for sports sanctions on Israel“Until the brutality ends, Russia or Israel should not be in any international competition.”

Reuters news agency reported that European Football Association officials are expected to contact an emergency vote next week to make a decision on the embargo.

Although UEFA has the ability to prevent Israel from participating in any games related to its European competitions, it cannot prevent the Israeli team from competing in the World Cup qualifiers, which is subject to FIFA responsibility.

FIFA GANNI Infantino President is close to US President Donald Trump and was in New York this week at satellite offices at the World Football Association in Trump Tower.

With most of the 2026 World Cup games is expected to be played in the United States, and with Trump’s supportive supporter of the tournament in addition to being a strong ally of Israel, it is unclear whether FIFA will support a ban on Israel.

The head of the Palestinian Football Association, Gabriel Rajop, told TV2 Norway that Israel should be banned from the World Cup competition, according to Reuters reports.

“Israel has violated the principles, values ​​and laws of FIFA. Therefore, I think Israel should be punished,” Rajop said.

“The sanctions must come from UEFA and FIFA.”

The Minister of Sports and Culture in Israel, Mickey Zohar, as well as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President of the Israel Football Association, Moshe Cardis, pressed the keeping of his national team in the competition, according to AP reports.