'To understand why reigning World Cup Champion Argentina wanted to play Israel in preparation for that 2018 World Cup — and why the match never happened — is to understand how FIFA has long...excluded Israel from competing,' Alex Talel writes.
National teams that have qualified for the World Cup do not typically schedule tune-up matches against each other. Instead, qualifying nations typically schedule such matches against national teams that will provide a rough approximation of World Cup-level competition, with such opposition often coming in the form of national teams that barely missed qualification. But Israel had not come close to qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.
While Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan, the UAE, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Palestine all compete in the AFC, Israel competes for World Cup qualification within the Union of European Football Associations — the far more competitive region known as UEFA. And yet Israel’s geographic neighbors have not only refused to compete against it but have also made it difficult for Israel’s national side to obtain valuable exposure to elite international competition.
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
SoFi Stadium In Jeopardy Of Losing 2026 FIFA World Cup Final Over Narrow FieldSoFi Stadium is in jeopardy of losing the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final over concerns the field is too narrow.
Weiterlesen »
Column: Still ascending, San Diego Wave FC star Alex Morgan eyes NWSL season, World CupJill Ellis says the 33-year-old striker is still adding layers to her world-class game. Wave opens the season March 25, with a big crowd expected.
Weiterlesen »
Shiffrin ends World Cup ski season with yet another recordMikaela Shiffrin won her 21st career giant slalom at the World Cup Finals Sunday as the American standout ended the season with yet another record.
Weiterlesen »
Shiffrin Ends World Cup Ski Season With Yet Another RecordShiffrin’s Giant Slalon win capped off a record-breaking season in both the event and total World Cup victories.
Weiterlesen »
The Weeknd is the world's most popular artist, Guinness World Records saysThe Weeknd, who recently became the first artist to reach 100 million monthly listeners on Spotify, is statistically the world's most popular musician, Guinness World Records said on Monday.
Weiterlesen »