10/10/2024
Why does the Israeli National Football Team play in Europe?
Israel’s national football team competes in European competitions due to political and security reasons. Although Israel is geographically located in the Middle East, it participates in UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) tournaments to avoid conflicts with Middle Eastern and Arab countries.
In the 1970s, Israel was excluded from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) due to boycotts by Arab and Muslim countries that refused to compete against Israel for political reasons. As a result, Israel joined UEFA to ensure they could participate in international competitions without facing the same political challenges.
This is why Israel’s national team and its clubs now play in UEFA-organized tournaments like the UEFA European Championship qualifiers, the UEFA Champions League, and the FIFA World Cup qualifiers (through the European zone). It provides a more stable sporting environment for Israeli teams to compete in.
