FIFA, the world’s governing body for football, has postponed its decision on the Palestinian Football Association’s (PFA) call to suspend Israel from international football, choosing instead to initiate investigations through its disciplinary and governance committees.
The PFA had urged FIFA to suspend Israel at its congress in Bangkok in May, citing alleged discrimination and the participation of Israeli teams in Palestinian territories. FIFA had initially planned to reach a decision by July 20, but the deadline was extended to allow legal experts more time to complete their report.
At a meeting in Zurich on Thursday, FIFA’s ruling council adopted the recommendations and conclusions of an independent legal analysis. It was decided that FIFA’s disciplinary committee would investigate the PFA’s allegations of discrimination, while its governance, audit, and compliance committee would look into the participation of Israeli teams in territories claimed by Palestine.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino commented on the sensitive nature of the issue, stating: “The FIFA Council has implemented due diligence on this very sensitive matter, and based on a thorough assessment, we have followed the advice of independent experts.”
Infantino further emphasized the need for peace in light of the ongoing violence in the region: “As we remain extremely shocked by what is happening, and our thoughts are with those who are suffering, we urge all parties to restore peace to the region with immediate effect.”
The investigations are expected to inform FIFA’s final decision on the matter, with no clear timeline set for a conclusion.
