Overview

• President Gianni Infantino said football cannot resolve geopolitical conflicts and emphasized messages of peace and unity, as the FIFA Council in Zürich took no disciplinary steps against Israel.
• UEFA had weighed sanctions under pressure from member federations such as Norway and Turkey but postponed a decision, with reporting noting U.S. diplomatic backing for preserving Israel’s status.
• Israel’s men’s team remains scheduled to play World Cup qualifiers on October 11 in Oslo versus Norway and on October 14 in Udine against Italy.
• Infantino met Palestinian FA president Jibril Rajoub and praised the PFA’s “resilience,” while independent UN experts and the Palestinian FA continued to urge FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel over alleged human-rights violations.
• In a separate development, the United States denied entry to several Iranian football officials for the December World Cup draw in Washington, Iran asked FIFA to intervene, and CONCACAF’s Victor Montagliani underscored FIFA’s authority over tournament operations.