Less than two months before the start of the competition, FIFA announced Wednesday that Indonesia will no longer host the U-20 World Cup.
“Following today’s meeting between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) President Erik Thohir, FIFA has decided, taking into account the current circumstances, to withdraw Indonesia as organizer. of the FIFA U-20 World Cup on the 20th of 2023”. , read a statement from the organization.
At stake will be the resistance of the governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, who opposes Israel’s participation in the tournament. FIFA had already canceled the holding, in Indonesia, of the draw for the group stage of the competition.
The country has a majority Muslim population, and as a way of condemning the conflict between Israel and Palestine, hundreds of people demonstrated last month in Jakarta against the presence of the Israeli team in the tournament.
FIFA does not assume that this is the reason for the cancellation, but admits that there may be sanctions against PSSI in the future, although it guarantees that it remains committed to the transformation of Indonesian football, after the tragedy that occurred in October 2022, when hundreds of people died in a stadium.
Israel qualified for the U-20 World Cup for the first time, which was to be held in the world’s most populous Muslim country, which has generated some controversy.
Regarding the U-20 World Cup, FIFA says that the new organizer will be announced “as soon as possible”, leaving the current dates, from May 20 to June 11. Portugal did not qualify.
Source: TSF
