Fifa Meeting Avoids Decision on Israel's World Cup Qualifying Status

Published:

Fifa Meeting Avoids Decision on Israel's World Cup Qualifying Status
Photo: Alex Brandon/AP/TT

Voices have been raised for Israel to be excluded from the ongoing World Championship qualifying in football due to the war in Gaza. But no such decision has been made by the International Football Association (Fifa) during Thursday's board meeting in Zurich.

Fifa cannot solve geopolitical problems, but the organisation can and must promote football around the world by utilising its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values, said Gianni Infantino, chairman of Fifa, during his opening speech at the meeting, according to a press release from the football organisation.

According to information to the Norwegian news agency NTB, the issue of an expulsion of Israel was not on the agenda for Thursday's board meeting.

Our thoughts are with those who suffer in the many conflicts that exist around the world today, and the most important message that football can convey right now is a message of peace and unity, said Infantino.

Canadian Victor Montagliani, one of several vice chairmen of Fifa, has said that the European Football Association (Uefa) should take on the Israel issue.

It has been reported that Uefa had plans for a meeting on excluding the country from the World Championship qualifiers, but the peace plan that the USA and Israel have agreed on has put the process on hold, according to several media outlets, writes NTB.

Israel is third in its World Championship qualifying group with nine points. The same number of points has second-placed Italy. Norway tops the group with 15 points.

Loading related articles...

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers
Loading related posts...