Advocacy groups call for European soccer boycott of Israel over Gaza attacks

A coalition of advocacy organisations and fan groups unveiled a Times Square billboard on September 16, calling on European soccer federations to boycott Israel, marking the launch of the #GameOverIsrael campaign months ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The billboard appeared in New York City, which will host eight matches of the World Cup next year, including the final, with Canada and Mexico co-hosting the quadrennial tournament alongside the United States.

The campaign urges soccer federations in Belgium, England, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Scotland, and Spain to bar the Israel national team and ban Israeli players from domestic competitions, citing Israel’s ongoing attacks in Gaza.

“As the United States prepares to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, Americans must not allow our stadiums to become platforms for whitewashing war crimes,” said Abed Ayoub, National Executive Director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), in a statement, cited by Reuters.

The ADC launched the initiative in partnership with several European organisations. Ayoub added, “We stand with our European counterparts and demand that every football governing body take immediate and decisive action to bar Israel from international competition. The world must tell Israel that the game is over, and there is no room in sports for war criminals.”

The billboard, located near Broadway and West 43rd Street, prominently features the word “genocide”, which the ADC noted was approved by the billboard company only after reviewing the text of a United Nations Commission of Inquiry report released Tuesday, which concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza. Israeli officials have rejected the findings, with Israel’s UN ambassador calling the report “scandalous” and “fake.”

Currently, Israel sits third in Group I of World Cup qualifying, behind Norway and Italy. Winners of UEFA’s 12 qualifying groups gain direct entry to the World Cup, while runners-up advance to the playoffs.

By Tamilla Hasanova