UEFA cannot unilaterally suspend Israeli clubs and national teams from its tournaments

Earlier, it was reported that next week UEFA's Executive Committee would convene to decide the fate of Israeli clubs and national teams in competitions under its jurisdiction. However, the situation is not as straightforward as it seems.

Details: According to current regulations, any suspension from UEFA tournaments must be ratified by FIFA's governing bodies. For example, this occurred on February 28, 2022, when Russian clubs and national teams were suspended from FIFA and UEFA competitions following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

At that time, FIFA and UEFA took a unified stance, and the suspension was formalized by a joint decision. With Israel, however, a unanimous decision seems unlikely. FIFA President Gianni Infantino maintains close ties with US President Donald Trump, who is openly pro-Israel, for instance, criticizing governments for recognizing Palestine.

According to the BBC, football will be no exception, and the 47th US President will fiercely oppose any suspension of Israel on the eve of a home World Cup. It also remains unclear what UEFA will do if its executive committee votes for a suspension that FIFA does not support.

Reminder: Currently, representatives of Israeli football are under investigation by UEFA, including Maccabi Haifa following their Conference League qualifying match against Poland's Rakow.