Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, is feeling the heat. Critics are accusing him of hypocrisy for failing to condemn Israel’s involvement in global football while a humanitarian crisis unfolds in Gaza. Human rights defenders and experts have called on Infantino to act. Yet he has refrained from punishing Israel or speaking out against its actions. Meanwhile, FIFA is preparing to have its World Cup co-hosted by the United States next year. Detractors of Infantino’s friendships and choices (including the one outlined in the previous article) are sounding the horn about Infantino’s “normalization of genocide.”
Infantino’s warm relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump has raised doubts about his ability to remain neutral. His presence at significant events, such as the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey on July 13, highlights his active role in football governance. Critics argue that Infantino’s unwillingness to act flies in the face of FIFA’s legacy of punishing nations. They cite Russia’s exclusion from international sporting events following its invasion of Ukraine as an illustrative case.
Criticism of FIFA’s Response
Amnesty International and other prominent human rights organizations have urged FIFA to hold Israel accountable for its continued war crimes in Gaza. Many argue that the Israeli Football Association (IFA) should not be allowed to participate in UEFA competitions while these violations occur.
One critic stated, “The failure of the Israel Football Association (IFA) to challenge these violations implicates it in this system of oppression, rendering its participation in UEFA competitions untenable.” This feeling points to a broader concern with the ethical implications of Israel’s national team playing. Most are understandably horrified by the charges of genocide leveled against Palestinians.
Israel’s national soccer team preparing for next week’s World Cup Qualification matches against Norway and Italy. This continued violence raises troubling ethical issues. Agnes Callamard from Amnesty International remarked, “As Israel’s national football team gears up for World Cup qualifiers against Norway and Italy, Israel continues to perpetrate genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”
The Political Landscape
As FIFA President Gianni Infantino has repeatedly claimed, FIFA cannot fix geopolitical crises but should work to reinforce football’s unifying qualities. Critics point out the hypocrisy in FIFA’s decision to selectively enforce sanctions. Mokhiber, an outspoken critic of Infantino, further challenged the FIFA President’s commitment to justice and accountability.
“It’s a stunning level of hypocrisy and double standards that they reacted so quickly and so forcefully with regard to Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine, and yet have been dragging their feet in trying to avoid action when it comes to a full-blown genocide by a regime that has been certified as practicing apartheid.” – Mokhiber
Infantino’s equally tight relationship with Donald Trump raises eyebrows too. Critics argue that this relationship can only further bias FIFA against any affirmative action by Israel. Mokhiber stated, “We know very well how close Infantino is to Donald Trump.”
Infantino hasn’t spoken out one bit about the violent killing of Palestinian footballers, including Suleiman al-Obeid. In the meantime, he is increasingly called to account as a result of the accusations against Israel’s conduct. More troubling than the blatant disregard for human life is the silence from FIFA leadership on these critical issues, which calls into question FIFA’s commitment to human rights.
The Future of Football in a Divided World
With the World Cup co-hosted by the U.S. approaching, Infantino’s FIFA is under pressure to take a definitive stance on Israel’s participation in international competitions. Many scholars and activists contend that by permitting these Israeli teams to compete the ICC is signaling its own complicity in these human rights abuses.
A letter directed to FIFA and UEFA states, “These acts have decimated an entire generation of athletes, eroding the fabric of Palestinian sport.” This claim illustrates the catastrophic effect of systematic violence on sporting infrastructure in Gaza.
Given these recent changes, Game Over Israel made the case that international football would open up new avenues for sports-washing. They asserted that UEFA must not be complicit in such violations: “UEFA must not be complicit in sports-washing such flagrant breaches of international law, including but not limited to the act of genocide.”
The current intersection of football and geopolitics highlights the strain being put on international sports governing bodies such as FIFA. The calls for action are becoming harder to ignore. It remains to be seen how Infantino will balance these competing interests and how he will respond to the increased calls for accountability.
