News Focus
- FIFA proposes a symbolic opening fixture between Israel and Palestine for its new Under-15 tournament
- All 211 FIFA member nations, including Russia, will receive invitations to the competition in the United States
- The initiative follows a failed handshake attempt between delegates at the Vancouver Congress in April
- The tournament begins with a boys’ edition this year, with a girls’ competition planned for 2025
FIFA hopes to arrange a historic opening match between Israel and Palestine for its new Under-15 tournament. The competition will take place in the United States this September.
This event will not carry the official World Cup title. However, every FIFA member nation may join. This includes Russia, who still face a ban from senior competitions.
The governing body revealed plans for this youth competition in December. President Gianni Infantino strongly believes football can build bridges between nations. He sees this opening fixture as a powerful message of unity.
This proposal follows an awkward moment in April. At the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Infantino tried to arrange a handshake between officials from both nations. The plan failed when the Palestinian delegate refused.
Jibril Rajoub, who leads the Palestinian Football Association, would not stand next to Israel FA vice-president Basim Sheikh Suliman. This happened during the 76th FIFA Congress. Infantino asked several times, but Rajoub declined.
Despite this setback, Infantino continues his peace efforts. Officials are now seriously considering the Israel-Palestine match to start the youth tournament.
Organisers have not confirmed the final venue. However, Miami looks like the probable host city. FIFA maintains large offices there.
The inaugural event will feature boys’ teams. A girls’ tournament will follow one year later. From 2028, FIFA plans to hold both competitions annually.
Some people warned that FIFA should avoid this political conflict. Sources within the organisation disagree. They do not believe the Vancouver incident makes this idea too risky.
Infantino personally drives this initiative. He mentioned the Under-15 tournament immediately after the handshake refusal in Vancouver. “I want to thank both representatives,” Infantino stated. “Israel and Palestine have equal rights and duties as FIFA members. We must work together. We must give hope to children through football.”
One insider claimed the handshake was arranged beforehand. However, Rajoub changed his decision during the actual event.
Palestinian officials stood by their decision. Vice-president Susan Shalabi spoke to Reuters. She said, “I cannot shake hands with someone who helps hide their violence. Our people suffer.”