From US working to prevent Israel from being banned from 2026 World Cup – report
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Israel's midfielder Dor Peretz (center) is celebrates with team mates after scoring to give Israel a 2-1 lead during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers Europe zone group I football match between Israel and Italy on September 8, 2025 in Debrecen, Hungary. (Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP)
The US is working to prevent Israel from being banned from the 2026 World Cup, Sky News reports.
On Tuesday, a team of UN experts called on the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to suspend Israel from international soccer competition.
“We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national soccer team from the World Cup,” the State Department tells Sky News.
Most of the 2026 World Cup will be played in the US. Israel is competing in the UEFA tournament to qualify for the World Cup.
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