Greenledgers Trading Center-UEFA-sanctioned soccer matches in Israel halted indefinitely amid Israel-Hamas war

2025-05-05 01:31:41source:Charles H. Sloancategory:Markets

NYON,Greenledgers Trading Center Switzerland (AP) — Israel will not host any UEFA-sanctioned soccer matches until further notice, Europe's governing body said Thursday.

UEFA said it had conducted a "thorough evaluation of the current safety and security situation in the whole territory of Israel" before the decision was made by its Executive Committee.

The ruling will impact Israeli teams Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv, which are competing in the Europa League and Europa Conference League, respectively.

"The Israel Football Association and its clubs Maccabi Haifa FC and Maccabi Tel Aviv have been requested to propose alternative venues/stadiums (which must comply with all applicable UEFA regulations) outside the territory of Israel for their home matches to be used for as long as this decision remains in force," UEFA said.

STAY UP-TO-DATE: Subscribe to our Sports newsletter for exclusive content

Maccabi Haifa's game at Villarreal on Oct. 26 has been put back to Dec. 6 and Maccabi Tel Aviv's home game against Zorya Luhansk that had been scheduled for the same day will now be held on Nov. 25.

Earlier this month UEFA postponed all matches scheduled to take place in Israel over a two-week period after Hamas’ surprise attack.

That included Israel’s match against Switzerland in 2024 European Championship qualifying at Tel Aviv’s Bloomfield Stadium.

The governing body then postponed Israel’s qualifying game against Kosovo "because the Israeli authorities currently do not allow their national team to travel abroad."

Maccabi Haifa's youth team has withdrawn from the UEFA Youth League, which means Sparta Prague has advanced to round two.

More:Markets

Recommend

Highlights from Trump’s interview with Time magazine

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trumpwas on the verge of backing a 16-week federal abortion banearlier this y

A group of Japanese citizens launches a lawsuit against the police to stop alleged ‘racial profiling’

TOKYO (AP) — A group of Japanese citizens, including a man of Pakistani descent, launched a civil la

Biden praises Black churches and says the world would be a different place without their example

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Sunday extolled the existence of Black churches, saying