The Palestinians’ World Cup propaganda victory

As it does every four years, the world is going crazy over the World Cup. And, as always in international sports events where nationalism is mixed with fans’ passion for their favourite teams, unpleasantness emerged in Qatar. This one involved the Palestinians. Read more

Blowing the whistle on FIFA’s systemic antisemitism

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar has arguably become the most controversial to date, raising widespread indignation over myriad issues concerning its host, including Qatar’s decision to ban beer from stadiums and its mistreatment of the press, the LGBTQ+ community and migrant workers, 6,500 of whom have died since Qatar was awarded the Cup. Read more

The not so beautiful game

They call football the beautiful game – a game played with grace and beauty and elegance as if poetry itself has leapt from the pages and onto the playing fields where players move with the smoothness of a gentle breeze across vast desert sands…writes Justin Ambler. Read more

Own goals

Scoring an own goal can be a most embarrassing result in a soccer game, but it also has another connotation. Read more

15,000 Israelis in Qatar for the World Cup

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Qatar’s farcical World Cup begins

Even before the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar kicked off, the tournament already had a hero: the former captain of the Iranian national team, Ali Daei. Read more

FIFA World Cup hospitality website excludes Israel, lists ‘Palestine’ instead

The FIFA World Cup, which is set to take place in Qatar from Nov. 21 through Dec. 18, has a website that offers the public help in purchasing hospitality packages, but Israelis looking for their country were originally given the sole option of “Palestinian Territories, Occupied” rather than “Israel.” Read more

Israelis welcome to attend 2022 World Cup, says Qatari official

Israelis will be allowed to attend the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Hassan al-Thawadi, secretary-general of the supreme committee, which is in charge of the tournament, told ESPN earlier this week. Read more

Two children battling cancer join Netanyahus at the World Cup

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara surprised two Israeli children inviting  them to join them in watching the World Cup semi-final match between England and Croatia in Moscow. Read more

PLO-Hamas anti-England, anti-Israel hatred politicises FIFA World Cup

Hatred against Britain and Israel surfaced in Gaza as England progressed its way through the World Cup to meet Sweden in the quarter finals…writes David Singer. Read more

On the other hand

FIFA world cup competitions, known as Mondial here, are in full swing with teams from many countries striving to become champions of soccer…writes Michael Kuttner. Read more

Say it loud, say it clear: no World Cup for Qatar…writes Ben Cohen/JNS.org

In a normal world, it wouldn’t be Israel that is the target of a campaign for boycotts, divestment, and sanctions. The tiny Gulf emirate of Qatar is a far better candidate. Read more

Nike yet to address video ad with antisemitic overtones

After initially raising concern on the issue this summer, the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) is continuing to press the Nike footwear and apparel giant to remedy its promotion of a pre-Soccer World Cup animated video whose content has what critics call antisemitic overtones. Read more