The hypothesis of a World Cup co-organized by Israel and a group of neighboring countries led by the United Arab Emirates was evoked between Israel and the president of FIFA, present at a colloquium organized in Jerusalem.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a brief statement that the president of the world soccer governing body, Gianni Infantino, “launched the idea that Israel could organize the 2030 World Cup with other countries in the region led by the United Arab Emirates.” during a conversation between the two.
“I believe that co-organization is the future and therefore why not dream and think about it, whether in the senior category, youth, for men or women, because the FIFA World Cup has this unique magic of grouping and uniting to the people, “Infantino replied when asked if Israel could one day co-organize the event with countries in the region.
The FIFA president, traveling to Israel, spoke at a colloquium organized by the Jerusalem Post, and recalled “the historic agreement” concluded between the Israeli Football Federation and the UAE Federation, according to a FIFA statement.
The administration of former US President Donald Trump initiated what became known as the “Abraham Accords,” by which several Arab countries normalized their relations with Israel.
The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco normalized their relations with Israel in 2020, under the impulse of Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, architect of this strategy.
In his speech at the colloquium, Infantino highlighted the extent to which a World Cup has become “a huge event and not just a sporting event”, followed by 4 billion viewers.
Infantino “reiterated that FIFA wants to put football at the service of society, to really make a difference by making its contribution, wherever possible, to peace and stability in the region,” according to the statement. AFP (HN)