For those who argue that football and politics should remain separate, this World Cup has made it increasingly difficult to uphold that view. After all, a wide range of political issues have already significantly influenced the summer tournament.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has built a close alliance with Donald Trump, yet has failed to persuade the US president to relax his strict border security policies. Consequently, Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry into the country.
Additionally, Iraq's World Cup striker Aymen Hussein was detained and interrogated for nearly seven hours at Chicago's O'Hare airport, while Iran's ongoing tensions with the US have made it challenging and at times impossible for their players, staff, and fans to obtain visas to enter the nation. These represent just a handful of the numerous instances where political stances have disrupted the competition.
Infantino seems to recognize that football has the ability to bring people together, but FIFA has recently taken few steps to facilitate that. His latest proposals aimed at reducing tensions between Israel and Palestine have drawn further criticism.
FIFA Seeks U15 Match Between Israel and Palestine
FIFA President Infantino famously tried and failed to arrange a handshake between Palestinian and Israeli delegates at the FIFA congress in May, and his newest efforts to address the conflict appear equally heavy-handed.
According to The Athletic, FIFA is now suggesting that the opening match of their inaugural under-15s football festival feature Israel against Palestine. The new tournament is scheduled to take place in the US in September 2026 and is open to all 211 of FIFA’s member associations.
As a result, this means both Israel and Palestine could participate, while Russia—banned from FIFA competitions since their invasion of Ukraine in February 2022—is also invited.
As reported by The Athletic, sources familiar with the plans believe Infantino's FIFA wants the festival to begin with a U15 match between Israel and Palestine. A spokesperson from the Israeli Football Association has stated:
“Our FA President, Moshe Zuares, will stick to what he said several times publicly at FIFA congress and everywhere—we are more than ever willing to use football as an instrument to promote normalisation and peace.
“Our hands are always extended for a better future for everyone. We hope to find a brave partner on the other side."
Their supporters will NOT be permitted to bring their flags into the stadiums.
Fans Stunned by FIFA Plans
When news of the plans surfaced online, many questioned the wisdom of FIFA using a match between children to attempt to unify the nations. In September 2025, a report from Save the Children revealed that at least one Palestinian child has been killed every hour on average by Israeli forces in Gaza over nearly 23 months of war, with the number of children killed now exceeding 20,000.
Reacting to the news about a potential match between the two teams, one person wrote: "Just when you thought Infantino couldn’t get any worse." Another added:
"It is grotesque to suggest this!"
One fan sarcastically commented on behalf of FIFA: "Hey Palestinians, play against the country that is killing your family and stealing your lands. I mean, do that for our entertainment."
Others commented: "It’s hard to conceive a response to this that isn’t filled with anger. Infantino must be some combination of ignorant, stupid, evil, or all three." And: "I've rarely seen someone as divorced from reality as Infantino."
Someone else said: "You just wanna squeeze the money from them. disgusting."