UEFA suspends all matches in Israel due to ongoing conflict

UEFA, the governing body of soccer in Europe, postponed all fixtures taking place in Israel over the next two weeks. Israel is currently engaged in a war against Hamas, a Palestinian militant group. The Guardian reports over 700 people have died in Israel since a surprise Hamas attack. Israeli retaliatory airstrikes in Gaza have killed over 400 people.

UEFA’s move has immediate impacts at both the club and country levels. For example, Israel and Switzerland scheduled a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier this Thursday. Also, Israel had U-21 European Championship qualifiers against Estonia and Germany. UEFA suspended both of those contests. The same applies to the domestic league in Israel. The Israeli Premier League had games scheduled. However, UEFA is preventing those games from taking place.

Questions remain over Israel’s ability to play in other Euro 2024 qualifiers. Israel’s upcoming game against Kosovo is on Sunday, Oct. 15. That game is in Prishtina. However, there are concerns over whether Israel can safely send a team from the home nation.

“UEFA will continue to closely monitor the situation and will remain in contact with all teams involved before making decisions on new dates and on potential changes to other upcoming fixtures,” UEFA said in a statement. “UEFA will take the coming days to assess whether Israel can take part in their Euro 2024 qualifier against Kosovo in Prishtina.”

Israel still hunting UEFA Euro 2024 qualification

It is important to note that these games are postponed, not canceled. Israel remains a candidate to qualify for Euro 2024. For instance, UEFA and FIFA suspended Ukraine’s games in qualification for the 2022 World Cup. Ukraine had to wait for its continental playoffs against Scotland and Wales for over three months. However, the games did eventually happen.

There is a chance that Israel’s qualifying games may not be in its home country. That is the fate the Ukraine national team has dealt with since Russia’s invasion in early 2022.

PHOTO: IMAGO / GEPA Pictures