Daily Podcasts Video Research

Israel’s World Cup prospects would be better in Asia, but amid protests, it is sticking with Europe

JL;DR SUMMARY Israel's football team faces challenges in qualifying for the World Cup due to its decision to compete within UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations, rather than the Asian Football Confederation. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

JL;DR members get full summaries of all articles in the archive, including this one. Donate & start reading »

Tags

Middle EastBoycottGeopoliticsSoccerUefaWorld CupSports PoliticsAfcFlag Dispute

Places mentioned

Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv District, Israel
"TEL AVIV More than five decades after Israels only World Cup appearance, the Israel Football Association says it has no intention of trying to leave Europe for the Asian regional qualifying system that once took the country to the tournament, before Arab-led boycotts helped force it out."
United States
"The launch this month of the tournament hosted by the United States has renewed attention to Israels absence from the World Cup."
Mexico
"Despite a thriving local soccer scene and success in competition abroad, the only time the country appeared in the tournament was in Mexico in 1970."
Italy
"Even titans like four-time World Cup winner Italy failed to qualify this year."
North Korea
"North Korea was ejected from the Asian qualifying tournament after refusing to play in Israel."
New Zealand
"As a result, Israel advanced to the final round after winning only two games against New Zealand."
Australia
"In the finals, Israel faced an Australian team already exhausted after fending off South Korea, Japan and Rhodesia (itself in the Asian tournament after being banned in Africa over its white governing regime)."
Sweden
"In the tournament in Mexico, Israels all-amateur team defied expectations, losing 0-2 to Uruguay but notching draws against Sweden and Italy before being eliminated."
Kuwait
"Four years later, Israel was effectively ejected from the Asian Football Confederation following a resolution introduced by Kuwait that passed 17 to 13, with six abstentions."
Iran
"The vote came a day before a high-profile Israel-Iran game in Tehran that Iran won 1-0 on an Israeli own goal."
Jordan
"It would be a little patronizing and arrogant for me to say that, he said, adding that he was not sure Israel would beat teams such as Jordan or Qatar."
Qatar
"It would be a little patronizing and arrogant for me to say that, he said, adding that he was not sure Israel would beat teams such as Jordan or Qatar."
Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
"Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were attacked in Amsterdam after a match against Ajax in November 2024, and the clubs supporters were later barred from attending an Aston Villa match in a decision that became a political and policing scandal in Britain."
United Kingdom
"Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were attacked in Amsterdam after a match against Ajax in November 2024, and the clubs supporters were later barred from attending an Aston Villa match in a decision that became a political and policing scandal in Britain."
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
"In Boston on June 19, kilt-clad Scotland fans waiting in blocks-long lines to board shuttles to the stadium where their team would face Morocco accepted Palestinian flags from activists lining the route."
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
"Hours before Canadas opening match on June 12, activists draped a Kick Israel out of FIFA banner over a World Cup logo near one of Torontos busiest highways."
Los Angeles, California, United States
"Days later, a viral video from Irans match against New Zealand in Los Angeles showed security guards confiscating an Israeli flag from a fan who was told they were acting on orders from their superiors while other spectators behind him held Palestinian flags."
Moldova
"It is hosting several contests this fall in Moldova, which last year gained an Israeli embassy, and direct El Al routes, for the first time."
Russian Federation
"(Russia, by contrast, has had its national teams and clubs suspended from FIFA and UEFA competitions since its invasion of Ukraine.)"

Support this source

This item was indexed and curated by Cairo, JL;DR's web crawler.
Cairo Item ID 86032
Cairo Source ID 42
Retrieved 2026-06-24 18:00:43 UTC
Curated 2026-06-24 19:00:58 UTC