UEFA may expel ‘Israel’ from competitions in vote on Tuesday: reports

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is facing a watershed moment as its Executive Committee prepares to consider a motion to suspend the “Israel national team” and clubs from all continental competitions.

The vote could take place as soon as this Tuesday.

According to reports from Hebrew media, the ‘Israel’ Football Association (IFA) is engaged in a frantic, round-the-clock diplomatic effort to prevent the motion from even reaching a vote, fearing it would pass with an overwhelming majority.

An unnamed IFA official acknowledged the precariousness of their position, stating that the country’s continued participation in international tournaments is "a miracle" and that "historically, countries have been suspended for much less".

The current push is widely attributed to a powerful lobbying campaign by Qatar, a key player in global football and a major financial partner of UEFA.

Qatar’s influence is significant; the nation holds a six-year, €500 million contract with UEFA and has a direct seat on the powerful Executive Committee through Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the president of Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germain.

This pressure campaign reportedly began after a failed ‘Israeli’ military strike in Doha, which targeted Hamas leaders and brought critical, Qatar-mediated ceasefire talks to a halt.

The 'Russia Precedent' and a Broader Call for Action

A central argument for ‘Israel's’ suspension is the precedent set by Russia, which was suspended from both FIFA and UEFA following its 2022 war with Ukraine. Prominent figures, including French footballer Eric Cantona and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, have publicly criticized what they see as a double standard.

However, UEFA has maintained that the situations are "completely different". While some federations, like those in Italy and Norway, have expressed "dissatisfaction" with playing ‘Israeli’ teams, none have officially refused to compete, a procedural step that was the basis for Russia's ban.

The Qatari campaign is part of a larger international movement. A coalition of human rights organizations, fan groups, and former players has launched the "#GameOverIsrael" campaign.

The movement's goal is to "mainstream delegitimization" by branding ‘Israel’ as a "pariah state" and associating it with human rights violators.

Protests have become more common at matches, with fans booing the ‘Israeli’ national anthem and raising banners with messages like "Stop killing children".

The Consequences for ‘Israeli’ Football

If the UEFA suspension is approved, the consequences for ‘Israeli’ football would be severe.

The head of communication for the IFA, Shlomi Barzel, stated it would be "almost a deathblow" to their sport scene.

A suspension would mean:

• The national team would be excluded from its remaining 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers (which is organized by UEFA).
• Clubs such as Maccabi Tel Aviv would be barred from participating in the current and future seasons of the UEFA Europa League and other European club competitions.

An exclusion from European sports could also set a precedent for similar bans in other sports, fulfilling the IFA’s fear of a domino effect.

‘Israel’s’ participation in European sports is a result of its isolation from Asian sporting bodies, making the threat of a European ban all the more significant.