FIFA president Gianni Infantino said football’s governing body cannot resolve geopolitical disputes amid calls to suspend Israel following a UN report accusing it of genocide in Gaza. While Infantino urged peace and unity, FIFA faces mounting pressure from human rights groups and UN experts to act. Israel continues to deny the allegations.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has insisted that world football’s governing body “cannot solve geopolitical problems” amid growing calls to sanction Israel.
His remarks come after a United Nations commission of inquiry concluded last month that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel’s role in international football was not on the formal agenda at Thursday’s FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, but Infantino addressed the issue during his opening remarks.
“Our thoughts are with all those suffering from conflicts around the world,” said the 55-year-old Italian. “The most important message football can deliver right now is one of peace and unity. FIFA cannot resolve geopolitical disputes, but it can and must promote the game by embracing its unifying, cultural, educational, and humanitarian values.”
Infantino also confirmed he had met with Palestinian Football Association (PFA) president Jibril Rajoub on Thursday. In an Instagram post, he praised Rajoub and the PFA for their resilience and reaffirmed FIFA’s commitment to “using the power of football to bring people together in a divided world.”
Israel’s national team is currently competing in European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, while club side Maccabi Tel Aviv are playing in the Europa League.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have urged FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel from international competitions. FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani said on Wednesday that UEFA should take the lead on the issue: “First and foremost, [Israel] is a member of UEFA, no different than I have to deal with a member of my region. They have to handle it.”
Israel sit third in their World Cup qualifying group—six points behind leaders Norway. The group winners qualify automatically for the tournament, while runners-up advance to the play-offs.
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada. Washington has already signaled opposition to any effort to exclude Israel, with the Trump administration vowing to resist moves to block its participation.
The UN report found “reasonable grounds” that four of the five genocidal acts defined under international law have been carried out by Israel in Gaza since the war began in 2023. Following the findings, a panel of UN human rights experts called on FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel, arguing: “Sports must reject the perception that it is business as usual.”
Israel denies committing genocide, insisting its military operations in Gaza are acts of self-defense. The country’s foreign ministry dismissed the UN findings as “distorted and false.”