Donald Trump is doing everything possible to prevent Israel's suspension from the 2026 World Cup
Kenley Ward
Dailysports's expert
The situation surrounding the potential suspension of the Israeli national team is heating up.
Details: According to The Athletic, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has declared it will do everything in its power to prevent Israel from being banned from the 2026 World Cup, should the team qualify.
The source reports that a U.S. State Department official stated:
"We will make every effort to completely block any attempts to suspend Israel's national football team from participating in the World Cup."
At this stage, it is unclear whether U.S. officials have already contacted UEFA or FIFA regarding the issue of Israel's participation in the tournament. When asked by The Athletic to clarify, the State Department representative declined further comment.
- See also: Utrecht vs Lyon prediction, H2H and probable line-ups – September 25, 2025
Last week, the United Nations officially called for Israel's suspension from international competitions, citing what it described as the "unfolding genocide" in Gaza—a charge Israel denies.
It is also known that UEFA has promised to soon meet and discuss the possible suspension of the Israeli national team and Israeli clubs from all UEFA-sanctioned tournaments.
