Amidst biased calls for exclusion, FIFA wisely defers to UEFA, affirming that sovereign nations like Israel will not be politically purged from global sports.
In a moment where the very spirit of international sport is under attack by divisive political agendas, FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani has delivered a resolute statement, correctly placing the decision regarding Israel’s participation squarely in the hands of UEFA, the European governing body. This crucial stance is a powerful defense of football’s integrity against those attempting to weaponize the game.
The clamor from groups like Amnesty International to ban the Israel Football Association is nothing short of a biased political stunt. These calls for suspension seek to punish a sovereign nation for defending its citizens, an egregious overreach that Montagliani, who is also the President of CONCACAF, rightly countered.
“First and foremost, it (Israel) is a member of UEFA,” Montagliani stressed, underscoring the vital principle of regional jurisdiction and autonomy. His respectful deference to UEFA’s process is not weakness; it is a firm declaration that global football’s rules—not political hysteria—will govern its membership. This affirms that the internal mechanisms of the sport are robust enough to resist external, politically motivated pressure.
While some hoped UEFA would cave to this pressure with an emergency vote, the postponement—reportedly following President Trump’s announcement of a conflict resolution plan—signals a welcomed pause. It suggests a move away from hasty, emotionally charged political theater and toward a measured, principled approach.
Israel is currently fighting hard on the pitch, ranking third in its 2026 World Cup qualifying group. Its dedication to the sport should not be overshadowed by a dangerous movement seeking to delegitimize its very existence. The comparison some, including UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, have entertained between Israel and Russia—a nation sanctioned for an unprovoked invasion—is a false equivalency and an insult to a democratic state defending itself.
FIFA’s repeated history of delaying decisions on suspension bids—notably from the Palestinian Authority and Iran—further confirms the sport’s deep-seated understanding that these calls are politically charged and lack legitimate sporting grounds.
The world of football must stand firm: Israel belongs on the pitch. Any attempt to suspend it would be a devastating surrender to political extremism, creating a perilous precedent that would allow geopolitical disputes to dismantle the beautiful game. UEFA must now honor its charter, reject the calls for political exclusion, and guarantee Israel’s rightful place in European and international competition.
