Gianni Infantino Hints At Drastic FIFA rule Change Amid Calls For Israel Ban
Gianni Infantino has hinted at a significant FIFA rule change after being asked about potentially banning Israel from competition.
Following the conflict from Palestine, UEFA were set to discuss a potential ban on Israel in a vote from its executive committee in September.
Proceedings were halted when US president Donald Trump announced a peace proposal which included ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
However, a detailed report from The Athletic said that since then, conversations took place since and one discussion point was "the mechanisms under which a ban might be enforced".
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Many nations have supported calls for Israel to be banned, with the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) voting heavily in favour to submit a motion to suspend Israel from all UEFA competitions.
Russia remained banned from competition due to theinvasion of Ukraine in 2022 but FIFA president Infantino believes that suspension needs to be lifted.
"We have to," Infantino said in an interview with Sky News.
"Definitely. Because this ban has not achieved anything, it has just created more frustration and hatred."
The Swiss claimed that "having girls and boys from Russia being able to play football games in other parts of Europe would help".
On the topic of Israel, Infantino said that the same level of ban as Russia being issued is "a defeat".
He also proceeded to say that FIFA ought to explore changing the rules, adding they should, "enshrine in our statutes that we should actually never ban any country from playing football because of the acts of their political leaders" and that "somebody needs to keep the ties open.".
Infantino spoke about a number of topics in the wide-ranging interview, including discussions around some countries being tipped to boycott the World Cup amid the storm involving Donald Trump and ICE.
When asked, the 55-year-old replied: "I think, in our divided world, in our aggressive world, we need occasions where people can come, can meet around the passion [for football]."
Infantino has been working alongside Trump prior to the 2026 World Cup, with the US hosting 74 games - including the final.
At the draw, he presented Trump with the inaugural FIFA peace prize in a move that caused huge controversy.
Trump was handed the award, as well as being honoured a commemorative medal and certificate "exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace".
Infantino continued to defend Trump being the first recipient and said he was "instrumental resolving conflicts and saving lives".
Although he admitted there was a "strong reaction", he added, "It's not just Gianni Infantino who said it... [there's] a Nobel Peace Prize winner who said this".
Topics: Gianni Infantino, FIFA
Josh Lawless