The European Football governing body (UEFA), has chosen to halt all matches initially scheduled to take place in Israel for the next two weeks.
This development was highly anticipated, given its occurrence in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas conflict. This ongoing conflict has led to a devastating loss of life, with at least 700 casualties reported—a level of tragedy not witnessed in decades.
Among the affected events is the Euro 2024 qualifying Group I match between Israel and Switzerland, which was initially set to occur on Thursday at Tel Aviv’s Bloomfield Stadium. However, this match will no longer proceed as originally scheduled.
UEFA, the organizing body, made this announcement in a statement:
“In light of the current security situation in Israel, UEFA has decided to postpone all matches scheduled in Israel in the next couple of weeks, with new dates to be confirmed in due course.”
“Uefa will continue to closely monitor the situation and will remain in contact with all teams involved before making decisions on new dates and on potential changes to other upcoming fixtures.”
“Uefa will take the coming days to assess whether Israel can take part in their Euro 2024 qualifier against Kosovo in Prishtina.”
Moreover, Israel’s European Under-21 Championship qualification matches against Estonia and Germany, originally planned for October 12 and 17, have been delayed.
In addition, UEFA has halted an under-17 mini-tournament featuring Israel, Belgium, Gibraltar, and Wales, which was initially scheduled to take place from Wednesday until October 17. However, this tournament has also been postponed.
Nevertheless, the feasibility of Israel’s upcoming match against Kosovo on Saturday will be assessed in the days ahead.