FIFA is planning a new tournament and is thinking about starting with a Palestine-Israel match, while Russia is open to joining.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is hoping to bring people together by organizing a special tournament that will feature an opening match between Israel and Palestine, with Russia allowed to join as well. Infantino is trying to be a peacemaker by inviting all 211 FIFA member countries to take part in a new Under-15 tournament planned for the United States this September.
Even though there has been recent conflict between Israel and Palestine, Infantino wants their teams to play against each other in the first match. Back in April, at the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Infantino tried to encourage the Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub and Israel FA vice-president Basim Sheikh Suliman to shake hands, but both chose not to.
Afterward, Palestinian FA vice-president Susan Shalabi told Reuters, “I cannot shake the hand of someone the Israelis have brought to cover up their terrible actions. We are suffering.” Despite this tense moment, Infantino remains hopeful that football can bring peace.
When asked about the handshake refusal, Infantino said, “Let me thank the two representatives from Israel and Palestine who have the same rights and responsibilities as FIFA members. We will work together for hope and for the children. We have an exciting under-15 tournament coming up and will invite all 211 countries to join. Let’s do it for the kids. You have my commitment and the support of everyone.”
FIFA first announced this fun, festival-like tournament in December 2025. The boys’ teams will compete in the first event in 2026, and girls’ teams will join the next year. FIFA said matches will be shorter, played on smaller fields, and teams will have 7 to 9 players to fit the needs of young players.
The tournament will likely happen in Miami, where FIFA has a few offices. Russia will also be allowed to take part, even though their senior national team has been banned from FIFA competitions since 2022 due to the invasion of Ukraine.
In February, Infantino said banning Russia “hasn’t helped” and suggested that letting Russian kids play football in other countries could bring people closer. He said, “We need to do this, at least for youth teams.” For now, though, Russia is still banned despite these comments.