Indonesia’s hosting rights for the men’s U20 World Cup, which is set to begin on May 20, have allegedly been revoked by FIFA.
In reaction to political unrest in Indonesia over Israel’s participation, a decision was made just eight weeks before the tournament started, according to the Associated Press.
Israel was granted admission to the competition in June 2022, but Indonesian authorities protested Israel’s participation.
Indonesia openly backs the Palestinian cause despite having the world’s biggest Muslim majority and no formal diplomatic ties to Israel. Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, met with Erick Thohir, the president of the Indonesian Football Federation, in Doha to talk about the circumstance.
Since the decision to revoke Indonesia’s hosting rights, no firm substitute host has been identified, so the tournament’s future is uncertain. FIFA says the tournament’s dates won’t change, and a replacement host will be announced soon.
Argentina, which was rejected from the tournament, reportedly wants to host. FIFA may impose additional sanctions on the Indonesian soccer organization.
Indonesia might be barred from the Asian qualification round of the World Cup in October 2026. Conversely, FIFA seemed to absolve Thohir of all liability. In the upcoming months, FIFA employees will continue to work in Indonesia under Thohir’s guidance.
