UEFA postpones Israel’s game in Kosovo in European qualifying because players cannot travel abroad

Sports

By Leo Africanus On Oct 12, 2023

UEFA has postponed Israel’s European Championship qualifying game against host Kosovo on Sunday

ByThe Associated Press

October 12, 2023, 5:20 AM

UEFA postpones Israel’s game in Kosovo in European qualifying because players cannot travel abroad — FILE – The trophy is displayed on the pitch before the Euro 2020 soccer championship final match between England and Italy at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. UEFA has decided the future of soccer’s European Championship for the next decade. The United Kingdom and Ireland will host in 2028 and an unusual Italy-Turkey co-hosting plan was picked for 2032. (Carl Recine/Pool Photo via AP, File)

The Associated Press

NYON, Switzerland — UEFA has postponed Israel’s European Championship qualifying game against host Kosovo on Sunday.

The decision by European soccer’s governing body — following Hamas’ surprise attack — adds to a fixture backlog.

UEFA said in a statement Thursday that the game in Pristina cannot be played “because the Israeli authorities currently do not allow their national team to travel abroad.”

Israel is now two games behind schedule in a tight qualifying group where it is competing with Switzerland and Romania for the top-two spots. Two teams advance to the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany.

Israel was scheduled to host group leader Switzerland on Thursday in Tel Aviv and that game was postponed late Sunday. It will now be played Nov. 15 though it is unclear if Israel can safely host games.

Israel now is due to play three Euro 2024 qualifiers in the one-week international break next month designed for just two games.

A home game for Israel against Romania on Nov. 18 — intended to be played in Jerusalem — has shaped as decisive for the final standings.

The delayed Kosovo-Israel game could prevent UEFA making the qualifying playoffs draw on Nov. 23 as scheduled.

Israel will go to the playoffs even if it finishes third in the qualifying group because last year it topped a Nations League group in the second tier.

Israel has never played at the finals of a European Championship tournament. Israel started playing in the competition as a UEFA member in Euro 1996 qualifying.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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