Norway to Donate Earnings from Match vs. Israel to Gaza: Impact on Football

Norway to Donate Proceeds from Match Against Israel to Gaza

The Norwegian Football Federation announced that it will donate the proceeds from the next World Cup qualifying match against Israel to humanitarian aid organizations in Gaza. The meeting, scheduled for October 11 in Oslo, becomes a gesture of solidarity in the face of the humanitarian situation in the region.

“Neither we nor other organizations can remain indifferent to the humanitarian suffering and the disproportionate attacks that the civilian population of Gaza has suffered for a long time,” declared Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Federation.

Lise Klaveness, President of the Norwegian Football Federation

The Norwegian federation plans to allocate the funds to a humanitarian organization that provides vital aid in Gaza. The exact amount expected to be raised through ticket sales, which will begin next week, has not been specified. The Israeli federation responded to the initiative by urging its Norwegian counterpart to condemn the October 7, 2023 attacks and the taking of hostages by Hamas. In addition, the Israeli federation requested that it be ensured that the funds are not transferred to terrorist organizations. The Norwegian Football Federation is collaborating with UEFA and the local police to secure the match on October 11. An increase in security measures is expected, which could reduce the stadium’s capacity by up to 3,000 tickets. Ullevaal Stadium usually hosts 26,000 spectators at national team matches. Israel has been unable to host international matches for security reasons since October 2023. Their “home” qualifier against Norway was played in Hungary, where Norway won 4-2 in March.

Israel played against Norway in Hungary in a World Cup qualifier earlier this year.Norway currently leads the five-nation classification group, ahead of Israel and Italy. Before the crucial World Cup qualifying matches against Israel in the next two months, the Italian Football Coaches Association (AIAC) is pushing for Israel to be suspended from international competitions. The AIAC has sent a formal letter to the Italian Football Federation, which will be forwarded to the governing bodies of European and world football, stating that “Israel must stop. Football must also take action.” Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian football federation and senior vice-president of UEFA, also spoke about it.

“The AIAC’s Board of Directors unanimously believes that, given the daily massacres, which have also resulted in hundreds of deaths among managers, coaches and athletes… it is legitimate, necessary, in fact a duty, to place at the center of the federation’s conversations the request, which will be presented to UEFA and FIFA, for the temporary exclusion of Israel from sports competitions,” the letter concludes.

AIAC Letter

Italy will face Israel on neutral ground in Debrecen, Hungary, on September 8, before hosting the return match in Udine on October 14.

“We could focus only on playing, looking the other way. But we believe that’s not right,” said AIAC Vice President Giancarlo Camolese.

Giancarlo Camolese, Vice President of AIAC