FIFA plans Israel's exclusion from international football

A legal assessment was ordered by the governing body after a complaint by the Palestinian Football Federation that their Israeli counterparts are violating FIFA's statutes.

The PFA said it hopes for “fairness and equality for Palestinian football and its athletes” after the issue was put on the agenda for a meeting next Thursday of the FIFA Steering Council.

Israeli Football Federation chief Shino Moshe Zuares has earlier confirmed that it was a “cinic, political and hostile” of Palestinians against FIFA's desire to separate the sport from politics.

The Palestinian federation has cited the destruction of football infrastructure and the death of players in Gaza since the start of this war last year following Hamas' rage in Israel on 7 October.

Israeli football officials are also accused of co-operating in violation of international law by their government, along with discrimination by Arab players and including teams from Western Coast settlements in the Israeli league.

U n EFA, the European governing football body, has earlier said it was not discussing any measures that Israel was prohibited from playing teams in their competitions by alluding to the war that began with Hamas' attacks.

Israel is one of 55 UEFA member associations, though Russia was banned from competing after beginning its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. /Telegraph/