Israel still has a good chance of a place at the 2024 European Football Championship, but has to play four qualifying games in ten days in November.
The European football association UEFA has scheduled the catch-up game of the European Championship qualification between Kosovo and Israel for Sunday, November 12th. The game was originally planned for October 15th, but was postponed without a new date due to the Middle East conflict.
The game will now take place outside the exemption period (November 13th to 21st), during which the clubs are obliged to let their professionals travel to the national teams. UEFA wrote on Tuesday (October 24, 2023) that no date could be found within this “international window”.
Special resolution of FIFA
Due to the extraordinary circumstances, there is a special decision by the world association FIFA. This means that the clubs must also employ professionals in this case. Clubs that do not belong to the two associations involved, in this case outside Kosovo or Israel, must release a maximum of one player.
A problem for Israel could arise from the fact that two national players, Ramzi Safuri and Sagiv Jehezkel, are under contract with the Turkish first division club Antalyaspor. Many other national players are active in Israel, including six at Maccabi Tel Aviv. The Israeli league has currently suspended its games due to the conflict.
Kosovo also has two national players who play in the Turkish league for the same club: Fidan Aliti and Florent Hadergjonaj from Alanyaspor.
Israel with four games in November
UEFA had already postponed the European Championship qualifier between Israel and Switzerland to November 15th, so Israel will now play four games within a few days. The game against Romania follows on November 18th and the game in Andorra on November 21st.
The venues for the home games are open, the European Football Union had decided that due to the security situation, no international games would kick off in Israel “until further notice”.
Israel, currently third in Group I, still has it in its own hands to qualify for the 2024 European Championships in Germany. As fourth, Kosovo only has theoretical chances.
Women’s national team also affected
Israel’s women’s national team also has to play outside the standoff period twice, and the special decision should also apply here. In the two Nations League duels against Kazakhstan, Israel will initially play away (November 23rd) and will have home advantage on November 26th.