- U.S. says it will block any attempt to ban Israel from the 2026 World Cup.
- UEFA may vote next week on suspending Israel over Gaza conflict.
- FIFA has not officially stated its stance yet.
The United States government has declared its strong opposition to any move aimed at excluding Israel from participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Eko Hot Blog reports that this is after reports that UEFA, Europe’s football governing body, may conduct a vote next week to suspend Israel from international football due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that FIFA’s position on the matter remains unclear, as the global football body has yet to confirm whether it would support UEFA’s decision or not.
However, the U.S. State Department has made it clear that Washington will oppose any attempt to prevent Israel from playing in the tournament.
A spokesperson for the department said, “We will do everything possible to block any move trying to exclude Israel’s national football team from the World Cup.”
Israel has played five qualifying matches so far and remains in contention to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup, although the country hasn’t qualified for a major tournament since the 1970 edition.
The tournament, set to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature expanded participation, making the race for qualification even more competitive.
