Why Israel Has Not Made It to the FIFA World Cup Despite Being a Strong Soccer Nation

Israel does participate in the FIFA World Cup, albeit infrequently. Despite its strong soccer heritage, the country has only qualified for the tournament once, back in 1970, a feat that occurred 52 years ago. This article explores the reasons behind Israel's limited participation in major international football tournaments.

Israel in the FIFA World Cup

Israel has a rich history in international football, participating in qualifying tournaments for the World Cup multiple times. Starting from 1950, Israel has been part of the qualifying process for the World Cup every four years, except for a brief period in the 1990s when its membership in different confederations affected its participation.

The six international football confederations play qualifying tournaments to determine which teams will qualify for the World Cup. Israel, currently a member of UEFA, has participated in qualifying tournaments 19 times. While this might seem overwhelming, only 32 teams qualify for the World Cup out of the 211 national sides in FIFA.

The UEFA vs AFC Controversy

A key point in Israel's history of international football is its membership in UEFA. Originally, Israel was part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), then the African Football Confederation (CAF), and even the Oceania Football Association (OFC). From 1994 to the present, Israel has been part of UEFA, the European Football Confederation.

The reasons for Israel's inclusion in UEFA are complex. Many teams in Asia and Africa refused to play against Israel, which led to their exclusion from the World Cup. These refusals, sometimes accompanied by death threats, were deeply problematic. Fortunately for Israel, its position in UEFA has allowed the country to concentrate on soccer rather than facing the political and religious opinions of their intercontinental neighbors.

Israel’s Participation in Major Tournaments

Despite the challenges, Israel has found success in other major tournaments. They have a team playing in the UEFA Champions League, which is widely considered one of the most prestigious competitions in club football. In the 2022/2023 season, they faced top European teams both in the group stage and the knockout rounds.

For example, Israel's club team managed to defeat Juventus, a top European football team, which led to a memorable moment. Although they lost to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the knockout rounds, their performance was well-received. The team's support has been passionate and vocal throughout the tournament, even though the result was a loss.

While Israel's track record in the UEFA Champions League is impressive, questions still arise regarding their participation in the FIFA World Cup. It is worth noting that the UEFA Champions League is a significant competition, but the FIFA World Cup is a different level of tournament due to its global scale and qualification process.

Conclusion

Israel's limited success in the FIFA World Cup can be attributed to a combination of geopolitical issues and the stringent requirements for qualification. However, the country's participation in the UEFA Champions League and its strong performance in the tournament highlights the potential for improvement in the future. As long as the barriers to participation are removed, there is hope that Israel will see more success in major international football tournaments.