The International Football Federation (FIFA) has made a major decision to withdraw the Under-20 World Cup from Indonesia due to political turmoil over Israel’s participation in the tournament.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Indonesia Football Association President Erick Thohir had a meeting in Doha and decided to strip Indonesia of the tournament, which was scheduled to start on May 20. The new host is yet to be determined, but for now, the dates of the tournament remain unchanged.
Israel qualified for the World Cup for under-20 players for the first time in history after reaching the finals of the European Championship for under-19 players. However, their participation in the tournament caused political opposition in Bali, which led to the postponement of the draw. As Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country and publicly supports Palestine, there was significant controversy over Israel’s participation.
According to FIFA, the decision to withdraw the tournament was made “due to current circumstances.” Argentina, which did not qualify for the competition, has expressed interest in hosting the tournament of 24 national teams.
FIFA could also impose additional sanctions on the Indonesian Football Association, including suspension of the national team from the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Israel plays in Europe as a member of the European Football Union (UEFA) after leaving the Asian Football Confederation in the 1970s for political and security reasons.
The global football community is eagerly waiting to see where the new host will be and how FIFA will handle the situation further. The decision has caused a stir among football fans around the world, and the fallout from this event could be far-reaching.
