Connect with us

Governing Bodies

Israelis to be allowed into Qatar for World Cup, officials say

Published

on

A computer generated image of Lusail Stadium that will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, with seating capacity of 80,000, in Lusail City, north of central Doha, Qatar. Qatar Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy/Handout via REUTERS

Israelis will be able to attend 2022 World Cup games in Qatar, Israeli ministers said on Thursday, in a move they said would open “a new door” to a country with which Israel does not currently have formal diplomatic relations.

The agreement, which came after months of talks with FIFA, was announced by Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Sports Minister Chili Tropper.

“Love of football and sport connects people and states, and the World Cup in November opens a new door for us to warm ties,” the statement quoted Lapid as saying.

The Israel team failed to qualify for the finals.

Qatar, a small but wealthy Gulf Arab state, will host the first World Cup in the Middle East, starting in late November.

Advertisement

Qatar World Cup officials have repeatedly said that all nationalities are welcome during the tournament. All ticketholders must apply for the Hayya card, a fan identification, which doubles as their entry visa to Qatar.

Unlike its Gulf Arab neighbours Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, which recently signed historic agreements with Israel, Qatar has conditioned normalising relations on the establishment of a Palestinian state

-Reuters

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement