Amnesty International urges UEFA and FIFA to suspend Israel Football Association

Amnesty International is calling on UEFA and FIFA to suspend the Israel Football Association (IFA) due to the participation of clubs based in Israeli settlements within the occupied Palestinian territories. The rights group argues that the inclusion of these clubs violates FIFA statutes and international law, and that funding the IFA risks supporting settlement policies.

During a UEFA Nations League match between Austria and Israel in Linz, Amnesty International Austria staged a protest by displaying a banner reading “END GENOCIDE” inside the stadium. Campaigners stated the protest aimed to draw attention to the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, criticizing sporting authorities for failing to hold Israel accountable for alleged violations of international law.

The dispute follows a March 2026 decision by FIFA to take no action against the IFA regarding settlement-based clubs, a move that led the Palestinian Football Association to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In Ireland, various football organizations, politicians, and activists have also called for the suspension or boycott of Israeli football.