SWITZERLAND, September 25, 2025 (WAFA) – European reports on Thursday evening revealed that the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is expected to decide on Israel’s participation in European competitions, amid growing pressure to exclude Israeli clubs and national teams due to the ongoing aggression on Gaza.
The British newspaper The Times reported that UEFA is set to make an official decision to bar Israel from participating in European tournaments, following approval by a majority of UEFA’s executive committee and the European football union.
The newspaper added that UEFA members support banning Israel from European football ahead of next week’s session, amid increasing pressure on UEFA due to protests and the UN commission’s declaration of genocide in Gaza.
The Times further stated that UEFA is scheduled to decide on suspending Israel’s membership next week, with the support of the majority of executive committee members.
It noted that a group of UN advisers has called on both the international and European football unions to suspend Israel’s membership after a UN inquiry concluded that it is committing genocide in Gaza.
The statement from the UN Human Rights Office emphasized that suspending Israel from European competitions is a necessary response to address the ongoing genocide in the Palestinian Territory.
It added that the world of sports must reject the notion of ‘business as usual’ and that sports bodies should not ignore serious human rights violations, especially when their platforms are used to normalize injustice, citing the suspension of Russia from European competitions since 2022.”
T.R.
