FIFA President Gianni Infantino resisted mounting pressure on Thursday to ban Israeli teams from global competitions, arguing the football body cannot resolve geopolitical disputes but must champion peace through sport. European football federations from Norway and Turkey had pushed UEFA toward a suspension vote that seemed poised to succeed, yet a U.S.-Israeli peace plan announced on Monday stalled the initiative. The State Department had pledged to defend Israel's football standing, while Infantino's relationship with President Donald Trump added weight to FIFA's position ahead of the 2026 World Cup in America.
Palestinian football leader Jibril Rajoub met privately with Infantino to address the Gaza crisis, but FIFA offered no timeline for resolving pending investigations into Israeli football matters. Street protests erupted across Italy on Friday as demonstrators demanded the cancellation of an upcoming World Cup qualifier between Italy and Israel scheduled for October 14 in Udine. The general strike drew more than two million participants nationwide, with highways blocked and hundreds of trains disrupted in solidarity with Palestinians.
Palestinian football leader Jibril Rajoub met privately with Infantino to address the Gaza crisis, but FIFA offered no timeline for resolving pending investigations into Israeli football matters. Street protests erupted across Italy on Friday as demonstrators demanded the cancellation of an upcoming World Cup qualifier between Italy and Israel scheduled for October 14 in Udine. The general strike drew more than two million participants nationwide, with highways blocked and hundreds of trains disrupted in solidarity with Palestinians.
