FIFA President Gianni Infantino has dismissed calls to suspend Israeli teams, saying football should unite rather than divide amid the ongoing Gaza war.
Meeting with FIFA’s council in Zurich last week, Infantino avoided placing Israel on the agenda, despite pressure from European federations and activists demanding action over Israel’s genocidal military campaign.
He said the organisation “cannot solve geopolitical problems” but must promote football’s “unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values.”
In 2022, FIFA banned Russia from competing in all international competitions following its invasion of Ukraine.
Infantino later met privately with Palestinian Football Association chief Jibril Rajoub, praising the group’s “resilience at this time.” No new measures were announced regarding two FIFA investigations into Israel’s participation in competitions held in occupied Palestinian territory.
The issue has divided global football bodies. Norway and Turkey led efforts urging UEFA to vote on suspending Israel from international matches, a motion insiders said could have passed without FIFA’s backing.
However, the United States, co-host of next year’s World Cup, has pledged to defend Israel’s standing in world football, further weakening chances of disciplinary action.
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FIFA’s statement referenced “the ongoing situation in Gaza” but omitted any mention of Israel.
Infantino’s close ties to U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently unveiled a “peace proposal” alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have drawn scrutiny from critics who see political influence shaping FIFA’s neutrality.
The same plan, presented in Washington earlier this week, was welcomed by Qatar, a vocal supporter of Palestinians. Netanyahu reportedly phoned Qatar’s prime minister from the White House to apologise for a September 9 airstrike on Doha that targeted Hamas officials.
Qatar’s deep involvement in both Middle Eastern diplomacy and world football was reflected by the attendance of Nasser al-Khelaifi, president of the Qatari owned Paris Saint-Germain and a senior Qatari government figure, at Thursday’s meeting.
Rajoub, meanwhile, continued diplomatic efforts in Switzerland, meeting with International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry before visiting FIFA headquarters. An Instagram post from Infantino noted their discussion about “the ongoing situation in the Middle East,” offering no details on FIFA’s pending probes.
Israel’s national team is scheduled to play World Cup qualifiers in Norway and Italy this month, even as Palestinian officials renew their demand for accountability and suspension.
FIFA, however, has set no deadline for resolving the investigations, a silence critics view as complicity in maintaining Israel’s impunity within global sport.
