Pressure to ban Israel from the 2026 World Cup is growing, with major votes reportedly expected as early as next week.
Released on September 26, 2025
The US government has said it will work to stop Israel’s attempts to ban participation in the 2026 World Cup amid calls for a sport of sanctions against the nation over genocide in Gaza.
In a statement released to multiple media outlets on Thursday, a US State Department spokesman pledged:
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The 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament is scheduled to take place in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Reports show that pressure is being built within the European football group UEFA to ban Israel from European matches that could prevent Israel from attempting to qualify for next year’s World Cup.
The Associated Press reported that the majority of UEFA’s 20-person executive committee are supporting the ban on Israeli soccer teams, with many concerned that football responses to Israel and Russia are inconsistent.
Russia was banned by both UEFA and FIFA in 2022 after the Ukrainian invasion, but continues to the Ukrainian invasion in 2022, but Israel remains at an international football event despite multiple allegations of war crimes, and despite the UN’s declaration that the country is currently violating genocide in Gaza.
Last week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez applied pressure when he called for sports sanctions against Israel, saying, “Neither Russia nor Israel should fall into international competition until the barrage is over.”
Reuters news agency reports that UEFA officials are expected to call emergency votes next week to determine the ban.
UEFA has the power to stop Israel from participating in games that take part in European competitions, but it cannot stop Israeli teams from competing in World Cup qualifiers, which fall under FIFA’s responsibility.
FIFA Chief Gianni Infantino is close to US President Donald Trump. This week I’m in New York at the World Football Body satellite office at Trump Tower.
It is unclear whether FIFA will support Israel’s ban, as most of the 2026 World Cup games are expected to take place in the US, and Trump personally supports the tournament and is Israel’s most solid ally.
Palestinian Football Association’s Ghibril Rajou told Norwegian TV2 that Israel should be banned from World Cup tournaments, Reuters reported.
“Israel violates principles, values and FIFA laws. So I think Israel should be approved,” Lajob said.
“Sansions should come from UEFA and FIFA.”
Israeli Minister of Sports and Culture Miki Zohar, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and head of the Israeli Football Association, Moshe Zuarez, are lobbying to keep their national teams in the competition.
