Amnesty International has called on FIFA and UEFA to suspend the Israeli Football Association (IFA), pending the exclusion of clubs based in illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) from Israeli football leagues. This appeal is part of a growing movement urging international sports bodies to take action against Israel due to its actions in the Palestinian territories.
The call from Amnesty International highlights the ongoing debate about the intersection of sports and human rights. The organization argues that FIFA and UEFA should not allow the IFA to include teams from settlements that are considered illegal under international law. Amnesty argues that allowing these teams to participate legitimizes the settlements and contributes to the violation of Palestinian human rights.
This isn't the first time that international sporting bodies have been urged to take action against Israel. A group of United Nations experts recently called on FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel over accusations of genocide in Gaza. These experts stated that "sports must reject the perception that it is business as usual" and that national teams representing states committing massive human rights violations should be suspended. They clarified that the call was for a boycott of the State of Israel and not individual players, emphasizing that there should be no discrimination against players based on origin or nationality.
The UN experts' statement followed a report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI), which stated that "genocide is occurring in Gaza" and that Israel was to blame. Israel has rejected these accusations, stating that its actions are in response to attacks by Hamas.
These calls for suspension echo similar actions taken against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when FIFA and UEFA suspended Russia from all European football. Critics, including former Manchester United star Eric Cantona, have pointed to this as a "double standard," arguing that Israel should face similar consequences.
UEFA has previously faced criticism from Amnesty International for not explicitly naming Israel in a banner that read "Stop killing children, stop killing civilians" displayed before the European Super Cup final in August 2025. Amnesty's Shaista Aziz stated that "to name the crime but not the perpetrator is an act of cowardice".
Adding to the pressure, 47 professional athletes have signed a petition calling on UEFA to suspend Israeli clubs and national teams from international tournaments, citing Israel's "ongoing genocide in Gaza". The petition states that "sport is not neutral in the face of injustice" and calls for "justice without double standards".
UEFA has not yet commented on the possibility of suspending Israel. If UEFA were to consider a suspension, it would need to be approved by FIFA. It remains to be seen whether these growing calls will lead to concrete action against the IFA.
