FIFA headquarters in Zurich
Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, says the organisation “cannot solve geopolitical problems” amid rising pressure to ban Israel from football.
Infantino spoke on Thursday while delivering a remark at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich.
In recent months, there have been calls for a football sanction on Israel over its war in Gaza.
In September, a United Nations commission of inquiry said Israel has committed acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
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UN experts then advised global sporting authorities to sanction the country for its actions.
Speaking on the situation, Infantino said “our thoughts are with those who are suffering” but “football can convey right now is one of peace and unity”.
“Fifa cannot solve geopolitical problems, but it can and must promote football around the world by harnessing its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values,” he said.
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On September 25, the US government also pledged to “work to fully stop” attempts to ban Israel from the 2026 World Cup.
Israel has been shelling the Gaza Strip in its war against Hamas for almost two years. The conflict has claimed the lives of 60,000 Palestinians and left millions starving and displaced.
Attempts to establish a ceasefire have proven futile within the period, with the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, for alleged war crimes.
Recently, the UK, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and a host of other nations have begun to recognize the state of Palestine against the intention of the Israeli state.
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