Amnesty calls Israeli football team's UEFA participation ‘unconscionable’

It’s unconscionable that the Israel men’s football team will participate in the UEFA Nations League this autumn despite clear evidence that Israel’s football association continues to support illegal settlements, Amnesty International has said. "Sport should never be used as a public relations spectacle for states committing atrocities. When rules are broken, when occupation, apartheid and genocide are ongoing, we cannot look the other way," Amnesty wrote on X. Amnesty said that as the Israel team travels to Europe where they will play against Austria, Ireland and Kosovo between 24 September and 6 October, Palestinian families "are being displaced and dispossessed, their land stolen, their olive trees uprooted, and their histories erased by settlers with the support of the Israeli military". "The beautiful game should bring people together, not rubber-stamp apartheid." As the Israel team travels to Europe where they will play against Austria, Ireland and Kosovo between 24 September - 6 October, Palestinian families are being displaced and dispossessed, their land stolen, their olive trees uprooted, and their histories erased by settlers with… pic.twitter.com/0VTr1ol7KL — Amnesty International (@amnesty) September 22, 2026