According to Israeli media, the vote is likely to take place next week, after Qatar - one of UEFA's major donors - called for a vote.
Only about two or three out of eight of the 20 member states have the right to vote against deportation, while the majority of the rest are expected to support it. This forced Israel to urgently mobilize allies such as Germany and Hungary to prevent the vote from taking place.
A source from the Israel Football Association (IFA) confirmed that they are working on all fronts, adding that if they are to hold a free vote, Israel will hardly be able to retain their right to participate in international tournaments.
This pressure arose after a recent Israeli airstrike on Hamas leaders in Doha (Qatar), which delayed the process of negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza mediated by Doha. The incident sparked a wave of strong opposition to Israel, not only in the political but also in sports and culture.
Currently, the Israeli team is still competing in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers organized by UEFA. Maccabi Tel Aviv are also preparing to enter the Europa League group stage. However, if they are excluded from the UEFA system, Israeli football will be almost paralyzed.
Observers say that if Israel is eliminated from European football, this could be a precedent for other sports. The often-compared case is Russia's ban from international matches since launching a military campaign in Ukraine in 2022.
