The United States government says it will work to stop any attempt to ban Israel from taking part in the 2026 World Cup, amid calls for sporting sanctions against the country over its genocide in Gaza.
In a statement released to multiple media outlets on Thursday, a US State Department spokesperson pledged: “We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national football team from the World Cup.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament is due to be played in the US, Canada and Mexico.
According to reports, pressure is building within the European footballing body UEFA to ban Israel from matches in Europe – which could potentially block Israel from attempting to qualify for next year’s World Cup – after a United Nations commission of inquiry concluded last week that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.
A majority of UEFA’s 20-member executive committee is reported to be supportive of a ban on Israel’s football team, according to The Associated Press news agency, with many concerned that football’s response to Israel and Russia has been inconsistent.
Russia was banned by both UEFA and FIFA – the world’s governing body for football – in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine, but Israel has remained in international footballing events despite multiple allegations of war crimes and now the UN’s declaration that the country is perpetrating genocide in Gaza.
Last week, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez added pressure when he called for sport sanctions on Israel, saying “until the barbarity ends, neither Russia nor Israel should be in any international competition.”
The Reuters news agency reports that UEFA officials are expected to call an emergency vote next week to decide on the ban.
Though UEFA has the power to stop Israel from participating in any games involving its European competitions, it cannot stop the Israeli team from competing in World Cup qualifiers, which fall under the responsibility of FIFA.
FIFA Chief Gianni Infantino is close to US President Donald Trump and has been in New York this week at the world football body’s satellite offices in Trump Tower.
With most of the 2026 World Cup games expected to be played in the US, and with Trump personally supportive of the tournament as well as being Israel’s staunchest ally, it is unclear whether FIFA would endorse a ban on Israel.
Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub told Norway’s TV2 that Israel should be banned from the World Cup competition, Reuters reports.
“Israel has violated the principles, values and FIFA’s statutes. Therefore, I believe that Israel should be sanctioned,” Rajoub said.
“The sanctions should come from UEFA and FIFA.”
Israel’s sports and culture minister, Miki Zohar, as well as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of Israel’s football association, Moshe Zuares, have been lobbying to keep its national team in the competition, AP reports.
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