The war in Gaza took center stage at the world's biggest soccer conference on Friday, when the Palestinian Association called for Israel's immediate expulsion from FIFA.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said at a meeting in Bangkok that the international football federation would take independent legal advice and consider the Palestinian demands.
The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) and its supporters, with support from member Asian Football Confederation, had hoped for an immediate vote on the possible ban.
Israel called the request for a ban “cynical.”
However, Infantino said: “FIFA is currently requiring an independent legal expert to assess the three requests from the Palestinian Football Association and ensure that FIFA's status and regulations are applied in the correct manner. It will be,” he said.
“Due to the urgency of the situation, an extraordinary FIFA Council will be convened by July 20 of this year to consider the results of the assessment and take appropriate decisions.”
Minutes earlier, PFA president Djibril Rajoub took to the stage in the Thai capital and called for Israel's “immediate” suspension.
He said the Israeli Football Association (IFA) had violated FIFA rules, adding: “FIFA cannot remain indifferent to these violations and the ongoing genocide in Palestine.”
Mr Rajoub's request came after the PFA announced in March that it would take the issue to parliament.
The PFA has expressed dissatisfaction with several specific incidents, such as an incident in December 2023 in which large numbers of naked Palestinians, including children, were captured in Israeli media footage at Yarmouk Stadium in Gaza City. It has been announced.
The PFA also called on FIFA in March to work on “the inclusion in the national association of football teams located in another association's territory, namely Palestine”.
At least five football clubs based in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are members of the Israel Football Association.
This settlement is illegal under international law.
Jordan's representatives supported the Palestinian demands and called for an immediate vote in parliament, but Infantino said the request should be dealt with by the FIFA Council, the regular decision-making body. Rejected.
When it was the Israeli Federation's head's turn to take the stage, the Iranian and Iraqi representatives left the hall.
IFA President Sino Moshe Zuarez called the Palestinian call for a ban “cynical.”
“Once again we are faced with a cynical, political and hostile attempt by the Palestinian Association to damage Israeli football,” he said.
“IFA has never and will not violate any rules set by FIFA or UEFA.”
Israel is a member of UEFA, the European football organization.
The war in Gaza broke out after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, resulting in more than 1,170 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli statistics.
Israel's military retaliation has killed at least 35,233 people, most of them civilians, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip's health ministry.
FIFA has previously taken action against member countries for the actions of their governments, including expelling the Russian team from international competitions following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
UEFA has banned Russian clubs from participating in the competition.
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