FIFA mulls Israel-Palestine U-15 opener for youth festival

FIFA is privately discussing a proposal for the Israeli and Palestinian under-15 national teams to play each other in the opening match of a new global youth football festival scheduled for the United States this September. The initiative, championed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, is viewed as a symbolic attempt to foster unity amid ongoing conflict.

The tournament, first announced in December 2025, is not an official World Cup but an open festival-style event. It will invite all 211 FIFA member associations, including Russia and Belarus, which remain suspended from senior-level competitions. The format will feature shorter matches on smaller pitches with teams of seven to nine players. The inaugural edition in September will be for boys, with a girls' tournament planned for 2027. Starting in 2028, FIFA intends to organize separate annual festivals for boys and girls.

The proposal for an Israel-Palestine opener follows an awkward incident at FIFA's annual congress in Vancouver on April 30, 2026. During the gathering, Infantino attempted to facilitate a symbolic handshake between Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub and Israel Football Association Vice...