Sources told the Associated Press that UEFA is moving toward a vote on a resolution to suspend Israel's membership, due to the war in Gaza.
A majority of UEFA's 20-member executive committee is expected to support any vote to suspend Israeli teams from international matches, two sources told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
This move comes two weeks before the Israeli national team resumes its group stage matches in the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, where it will play hosts Norway and Italy next month.
It is unclear whether FIFA will support Israel's exclusion given the close ties between its president, Gianni Infantino, and US President Donald Trump.
The Trump administration's support for World Cup security, including visas for players, officials, and potentially hundreds of thousands of visiting fans, is seen as key to FIFA's successful tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year.
FIFA's Governing Council is scheduled to meet in Zurich, Switzerland, next week. The 37-member council includes eight members from UEFA.
Calls for Israel's exclusion from football and other sports have grown in recent weeks amid protests over the humanitarian toll its military campaign in Gaza has taken.
Last week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated that Israel should be banned from participating in international sporting events, just as Russia was excluded after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
UEFA and its Slovenian president, Aleksander Ceferin, took a more hawkish stance toward Israel last month when banners reading "Stop killing children. Stop killing civilians" were placed on the pitch during the UEFA Super Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur in Udine, Italy.
The offices of Israeli Sports and Culture Minister Miki Zohar, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Israel Football Association President Moshe Zoaris announced Thursday that they are working "intensively behind the scenes" to thwart efforts to expel Israel from UEFA.
He added, "The right step now is to act responsibly with the relevant authorities and not make statements. This is the approach of all parties involved in these efforts. We will address this matter later."
Since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, several anti-Israel activists have repeatedly pointed to FIFA and UEFA's suspension of Russia from international competitions days after its special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022.
Last week, Israel was accused of committing genocide in Gaza by a commission of inquiry appointed by the UN Human Rights Council.
The ban on Russia was also prompted by the refusal of a number of UEFA member associations to play scheduled matches against Russian sports teams, including Poland, which was scheduled to travel to Moscow for a 2022 World Cup qualifier.
No European team or club has yet refused to play against an Israeli opponent, although football officials in Norway and Italy have publicly expressed their discomfort in recent weeks.
The Norwegian Football Association has also pledged to donate its ticket sales proceeds for the national team's match against Israel on October 11 in Oslo to support the humanitarian work of Doctors Without Borders in Gaza.
Italy's Gabriele Gravina and Norway's Liz Klafness were elected to the UEFA Executive Committee, which has the power to vote on suspending Israel. Zoaris, president of the Israel Football Association, is also on the committee.
