FIFA president Gianni Infantino dismissed calls to suspend Israel, insisting football should foster peace rather than intervene in political disputes.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Thursday that football “cannot solve geopolitical problems” as pressure mounts to suspend Israel from international competitions over the Gaza conflict.
Infantino chaired a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, which did not place Israel formally on the agenda. He emphasized to members “the importance of promoting peace and unity,” stressing football’s unifying and humanitarian values.
Calls to exclude Israel have grown, with Norway and Turkey pressing UEFA to act. A vote by UEFA’s 20-member executive committee appeared likely to succeed, though FIFA was seen as unwilling to follow. Infantino has close ties to President Trump, who alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented a peace proposal on Monday that was welcomed by several Middle Eastern governments, including Qatar.
The U.S. State Department also signaled it would work to safeguard Israel’s place in world football.
Israel’s men’s team is set to face Norway in Oslo on Oct. 11 and Italy in Udine on Oct. 14 in World Cup qualifiers. Palestinian football chief Jibril Rajoub was also in Switzerland this week, meeting International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry.