FIFA plans game between Israel and Palestine to open new under-15 tournament

Organizing a symbolic match between Israel and Palestine, as the opening game of a new under-15 tournament in the United States, in September, is one of the initiatives that FIFA has been prioritizing according to information from the English newspaper The Guardian.

The entity that governs football in the world announced the details of the tournament last December and has big plans for the opening clash. According to the publication, president Gianni Infantino thus intends to use football as a vehicle to promote peace and global unity.

The tournament venue has not yet been confirmed, but Miami is considered the most likely. FIFA has extensive offices in the city. Although it will not be an official U15 World Cup, the competition will be open to all 211 members of the organization, including Russia, who remain banned at senior level.

The first tournament will be a men's competition, with a women's edition 12 months later, before FIFA moves to organize two separate festivals each year from 2028.

Also according to the news, FIFA interlocutors rejected the suggestion that trying to interfere in politics involving the two nations was something dangerous.

"I would like to thank the two representatives, one from Israel and the other from Palestine, who have the same rights, duties and obligations, and who are members of FIFA," said Infantino. "Let's work together, let's work together to give children hope, let's work together for that."

"We have a beautiful under-15 tournament coming up, in which we will invite all 211 countries to participate, all the children in the world. Let's do this for this tournament. Let's work together. You have my commitment and everyone's support."

The attempt to bring Israel and Palestine together in a competition comes months after the FIFA president had an awkward moment in April, when an attempt to orchestrate a handshake between Palestinian and Israeli delegates at the governing body's congress in Vancouver failed.

Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub refused to stand alongside Israeli Football Federation vice-president Basim Sheikh Suliman in an awkward moment near the end of the 76th FIFA congress, despite repeated pleas from Infantino.

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Source: CNN