Fifa cannot solve geopolitical issues – Infantino

As pressure mounts against Israel’s authorities, Fifa president Gianni Infantino claims that the world’s ruling body “cannot solve geopolitical problems.”

Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza was determined last month by a UN commission of inquiry.

A Fifa council meeting on Thursday did not place Israel’s participation in football on the official agenda.

Infantino did address the issue in his opening address at Fifa’s headquarters in Zurich, though.

The 55-year-old Italian stated that Fifa was determined to “bring people together in a divided world” by “using the power of football.”

The most crucial message that football can send right now is one of peace and unity, Infantino said, “Our thoughts are with those who are suffering in the many conflicts that exist today.”

FIFA can and must use its unifying, educational, cultural, and humanitarian values to promote football around the world.

Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv is playing in the Europa League while Israel’s national team is currently competing in the men’s world cup in Europe.

Amnesty International has urged Uefa and Fifa, which organizes European competitions, to ban the Israeli Football Association from their tournaments.

Victor Montagliani, the vice president of Fifa, stated on Wednesday that Uefa should decide.

“First and foremost, I have to deal with a member of my region for whatever reason because Israel is a member of Uefa.” He said, “They have to deal with that.”

In their qualifying group for the World Cup, Israel is six points clear of Norway’s leaders in Uefa’s organization.

The winning team in each group automatically qualifies for the tournament, with the losing team advancing to the play-offs.

The US, Mexico, and Canada will host the 2026 World Cup on a co-hosted basis.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has vowed to stop any attempts to obstruct Israel’s participation.

Since the start of the war in 2023, according to the UN report, there are logical grounds to believe that four of the five genocidal acts committed by Israel in Gaza have been committed under international law.

Following that, a panel of UN human rights experts demanded that Fifa and Uefa ban Israel’s national team from international competition, saying: “Sports must reject the perception that it is business as usual.”