The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) announced that it will postpone consideration of the Palestinian Federation’s request to exclude Israel from international competitions until after the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The Palestinian Football Association had submitted this request last May, citing the war in Gaza as the main reason. In response, FIFA ordered a legal evaluation of the situation, and promised to consider the matter during an extraordinary meeting of its council this July, but the legal evaluation will be done. It will be presented now at the FIFA Council meeting on August 31.
FIFA said through its account on the “X” platform: “Based on the two parties’ request for more time to present their defenses, we agreed to grant more time until the procedures are completed.”
It is noteworthy that the 2024 Paris Olympics will be held from July 26 to August 11, while the men’s football group stage competitions begin on July 24.
Israel has qualified for the men’s soccer competition at the Paris Olympics, where it will play in the group stage with the teams of Mali, Paraguay, and Japan.
The Arab League’s Six-Nation Committee calls for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza