Soccer Meets Diplomacy
Israel's World Cup Dream is Under Threat. Here's How the US Is Stepping In
The US State Department is actively working to prevent Israel's potential ban from the 2026 World Cup following calls from UN experts for FIFA to suspend the national team.
The United States is reportedly taking active measures to prevent Israel's national soccer team from being banned from the 2026 World Cup, according to a report from Sky News.
The news comes after a group of UN experts formally called on FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel from international competition. Their request, issued on Tuesday, is the latest in a series of global actions targeting Israel over the Gaza conflict.
The U.S. State Department confirmed its stance to Sky News, stating,
"We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national soccer team from the World Cup."
The 2026 World Cup is set to be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, with the majority of games scheduled to be played on American soil. Israel is currently competing in the UEFA tournament in an effort to qualify for the event.