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A growing international campaign is demanding Israel’s exclusion from world soccer, igniting sharp debate over the politicization of sport. Under the banner #GameOverIsrael, activists, athletes, celebrities, and political figures are urging FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israeli teams and players.
The initiative was unveiled this week with a striking billboard in New York’s Times Square declaring “Israel is committing genocide.” Organizers announced coordinated protests across nine European countries, including Belgium, France, Ireland, and Spain.
They argue the campaign mirrors sanctions imposed on Russia in 2022, when Moscow was suspended from global competitions following its invasion of Ukraine.
On its website, campaign organizers call for a boycott of Israel’s national team, clubs, and players. “Given the outrage at what is happening in Gaza, how can we allow those responsible – or complicit – to step foot on the pitches we love?” said campaign manager Ashish Prashar, a political strategist.
Craig Mokhiber, a former UN human rights official, echoed the sentiment, declaring: “We are living through a dark moment in history… sport is a powerful social force – and football can be a channel for action. Boycott Israel.”
Supporters of the initiative include high-profile figures such as French football legend Eric Cantona, broadcaster Gary Lineker, and Irish actor Liam Cunningham. Some fan associations, including Ireland’s Shamrock Rovers supporters, have also joined calls for an outright boycott.
But critics argue the campaign represents double standards that Israel has faced for decades. They note that while the campaign highlights the humanitarian toll in Gaza, it overlooks Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre of more than 1,200 Israelis and the group’s practice of launching attacks from schools and hospitals.
“Calls to ban Israel are not about fair play or human rights,” said one Israeli sports commentator. “They are about delegitimizing a nation and its people. That is why Israel must continue to play – and to win.”
The debate also reflects longstanding challenges Israel has faced in international sport. Expelled from the Asian Football Confederation in 1974 under Arab pressure, Israel joined UEFA only in the 1990s. Its athletes have repeatedly been boycotted by opponents from Iran, Algeria, and other countries.
Antisemitism has compounded these problems. During the Tokyo Olympics, Algerian judoka Fethi Nourine was banned for a decade after refusing to face an Israeli opponent. Israeli soccer clubs playing in Europe are often met with hostile chants and heavy security due to protests.
Despite pressure, not all institutions are embracing the boycott. Norway’s soccer federation, for example, rejected calls to exclude Israel, though it pledged ticket revenue from one match to humanitarian relief.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has introduced measures against Israel, and Italy’s coaches’ association has called for suspension.
For Israel’s defenders, the #GameOverIsrael campaign is not about soccer at all but about erasing the Jewish state from international platforms. As debates intensify, the future of Israel’s place in world sport remains uncertain.