Geneva: UEFA is reportedly moving ahead with a new vote next week on whether to suspend Israel from European football competitions, according to multiple media reports.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that a large majority of UEFA’s executive committee is ‘expected to support any vote in favor of suspending Israeli teams from international play.’
The possible ban follows mounting calls from human rights bodies and pressure campaigns pointing to Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
The impetus for the proposal comes in part from a United Nations Commission of Inquiry, which concluded there were “reasonable grounds” to determine that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
If the vote passes, Israel’s national side would be expelled from UEFA qualifiers, effectively ending its chance to compete in the 2026 World Cup.
Domestically, Israeli clubs would be barred from continental club tournaments like the Champions League and Europa League
Last week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called for Israel to be barred from international sporting competitions, drawing a comparison to Russia’s exclusion following the 2022 Ukraine war.
