The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) executives have held meetings with representatives of the Game Over Israel campaign following the recent ceasefire in Gaza, exploring the possibility of suspending "Israel" from international football competitions, sources told The Athletic.

The discussions come amid mounting calls from member associations, athletes, and human rights organizations to reconsider "Israel’s" participation in UEFA events, citing its countless violations of international law and the governing body’s statutes. UEFA has not publicly addressed the matter.

Game Over Israel

Launched in New York on September 17, the Game Over Israel campaign is a coalition of activists, humanitarians, and football fans advocating for Palestinian justice. The campaign emerged one day after a United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded that "Israel" had committed genocide in Gaza. The group, primarily funded by the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and advised by former UN human rights officials, has called on sports organizations worldwide to boycott Israeli teams.

Sources indicated that UEFA was close to holding a vote in late September on "Israel’s" continued participation in European competitions. However, the leadership decided to pause the decision following a fragile ceasefire announced on September 29.

The ongoing discussions have focused on the legal and practical implications of a potential suspension. While UEFA’s executive committee is considered unlikely to impose an immediate ban, the organization is monitoring two legal challenges from Ireland and Switzerland that could compel action under international law.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has expressed concern for Palestinians in Gaza, using public gestures to highlight the crisis, including a banner at the Super Cup final reading, “Stop killing children; Stop killing civilians.”

Read more: FIFA delays review of PFA bid to suspend Israeli Football Association

Players urge UEFA to avoid complicity in genocide

A letter from prominent footballers, including Paul Pogba and Adama Traore, urged UEFA to avoid complicity in “genocide and crimes against humanity.”

The Football Association of Ireland recently voted to submit a motion requesting a formal ban on "Israel", pointing to violations of anti-racism statutes and the construction of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

"Israel" has been a UEFA member since 1994 and has participated in major European tournaments, although it occupies territory in Palestine, Asia. A suspension would carry significant consequences for the Israeli football team and clubs, recalling "Israel’s" exclusion from the Asian Football Confederation in 1974. At the time, many Arab and Muslim-majority teams refused to play against the Israeli football team in AFC games and tournaments, leading to its eventual exclusion. 

Read more: Irish Football Association urges UEFA to ban 'Israel from competitions

Palestinians plan to sue UEFA, FIFA

Palestinian footballers, local clubs, and multiple international advocacy groups are also preparing to lodge a case before the International Criminal Court, accusing FIFA president Gianni Infantino and UEFA President Ceferin of enabling Israeli war crimes and a wider system of apartheid. The complaint focuses on the decision by both governing bodies to allow Israeli football clubs based in illegal West Bank settlements to participate in official competitions, despite repeated warnings from UN experts and human-rights organizations. These settlements, built on occupied Palestinian territory, are widely recognized under international law and the Geneva Conventions as unlawful.

In Gaza, Israeli attacks have killed more than 70,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Although a ceasefire was announced on October 10, 2025, Israeli occupation forces have repeatedly breached the truce with near-daily strikes on the besieged enclave.

The destruction has extended deeply into Gaza’s sports sector. According to figures from the Gaza Government Media Office, 894 members of the sporting community, namely players, referees, coaches, and club officials, have been killed, including more than 400 footballers.

Over the past two years, 292 sports facilities have been destroyed or severely damaged, from stadiums and youth clubs to training halls and community fields. Academic analyses have similarly documented the systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure, including sports complexes, schools, and health centers, during Israeli military campaigns.

Read more: UN experts press FIFA, UEFA to suspend 'Israel' over genocide in Gaza