FIFA reportedly won’t discuss a potential ban on Israel from international football at a Council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday. There have been calls for football authorities to suspend the Israeli Football Association due to the war in Gaza.

The United Nations Commission of Inquiry said last week that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians during the war in Gaza. Their report found that there are reasonable grounds to conclude that “four of the five genocidal acts” have been carried out since 2023.

Israel has denied committing genocide, but the UN’s report has further intensified discussions regarding FIFA and UEFA banning the country’s football federation. The Israeli national team are currently participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, which will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer.

The Independent reports that discussions over a potential ban won’t be on the agenda during the meeting on Thursday, which rules out a vote taking place. FIFA are under pressure to act, as it has been highlighted how Israeli clubs playing on occupied land are a “contradiction of FIFA’s own statutes.”

Amnesty International, which investigates human rights violations, have also urged FIFA and UEFA to suspend the IFA. But FIFA have yet to take action and has been accused of putting off doing so since the Palestine Football Association called for a sanction due to the human rights and humanitarian law violations committed in the Gaza Strip in April 2024.

US President Donald Trump is attempting to negotiate a peace deal, and there are suggestions that this is influencing FIFA’s stance. The report claims that FIFA president Gianni Infantino doesn’t want to “politically aggravate” Trump ahead of the World Cup next year.

The US state department has said it will “push back” against attempts to ban Israel, despite UEFA figures having pushed for a meeting of their executive committee to decide on a ban this week. This has been postponed amid Trump pushing a new peace plan in talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel PM Netanyahu To Make Urgent Appeal Over Possible Ban

Netanyahu had reportedly been set to make a “personal appeal” to football’s leaders in an attempt to prevent Israel from being banned by FIFA and UEFA. This included making phone calls to senior figures as his nation eyed World Cup qualification.

Israel are also represented in this season’s UEFA Europa League as Maccabi Tel Aviv are competing in the league phase. If a ban were imposed, the reigning Israeli champions would be disqualified from the competition.

The Independent’s report claims that presidents of the Norwegian Football Federation and Turkish Football Federation are among those who have called for a ban. Lise Klaveness and Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu have written to FIFA and UEFA regarding their stance on the matter.

West Ham United midfielder James Ward-Prowse is expected to be on the move in January after being axed from the squad for Monday’s 1-1 draw at Everton, according to talkSPORT.

The London Stadium side will reportedly listen to offers for the England international at the turn of the year, with Ward-Prowse open to a return to his former club Southampton.

The 30-year-old midfielder had started every game this season under Graham Potter before being dropped from the squad by new manager Nuno Espirito Santo for his first game on Monday.

Ward-Prowse is believed to have already been told he ‘has no future’ at the club following the Portuguese tactician’s appointment and is expected to explore his options when the transfer window reopens.

The £144,000-a-week England international, who joined West Ham from Southampton in August 2023, is under contract until the summer of 2027.

James Ward-Prowse Open to Southampton Move

According to GIVEMESPORT sources, Ward-Prowse’s absence from West Ham’s 1-1 draw with Everton was purely based on selection, as Espirito Santo does not see the 30-year-old in his plans going forward.

The Portuguese tactician instead opted for a midfield trio of Mateus Fernandes, Lucas Paqueta and summer signing Soungoutou Magassa, who was given his first start of the season.

GIVEMESPORT sources have also confirmed that Southampton are considering a move to sign Ward-Prowse in the January transfer window after the latest news on his situation with the Hammers.

Ward-Prowse has made 73 appearances for West Ham to date, scoring eight goals and providing 12 assists, with his last goal coming on the final day of the 2024/25 season in the 3-1 win at Ipswich Town.

The 11-cap England international was sent out on loan to Nottingham Forest during the first part of last season, where he made 10 appearances under Espirito Santo, including five starts in the Premier League.

West Ham parted ways with Potter on Saturday and confirmed Espirito Santo’s appointment hours later, with the Portuguese manager joining on a three-year deal.

The 51-year-old was dismissed as Forest boss on September 9, just three games into the Premier League season and less than three months after the club handed him a new three-year contract.

Espirito Santo guided Forest to a seventh-place finish last term, with the club securing European football for the first time in three decades.

Sir Alex Ferguson is widely regarded as the greatest football manager of all time, having overseen the most dominant period in Manchester United’s history, winning 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues, during his 27-year stint at Old Trafford.

Standing as the manager with the second-most Premier League games in history (810), only behind Arsenal great Arsene Wenger (828), Ferguson navigated countless challenges during his long tenure at Man United and was once notably angered by the actions of an opposition player.

In 2012, the Scottish tactician publicly condemned a Premier League incident he described as ‘the most dangerous thing’ he had ever seen on a football pitch. He called it a ‘disgraceful act’ and demanded the FA impose a lengthy ban on the player involved.

Sir Alex Ferguson Slammed Ashley Williams

Following Man United’s 1-1 draw with Swansea in December 2012, Ashley Williams sparked Ferguson’s fury with a reckless challenge on Robin van Persie.

In the second half, the Dutch striker was fouled on the edge of the area, and as he lay on the ground, Williams kicked the ball at Van Persie’s head at full force from almost point-blank range.

The incident saw Van Persie lose his temper and lunge at Williams in anger, with both players receiving bookings for the confrontation.

Ferguson, however, believed the punishment did not go far enough, describing Williams’ actions as ‘disgraceful’. He claimed Van Persie ‘could have been killed’ and demanded the Welsh defender be banned for a lengthy period during his post-match interview:

While Williams initially claimed the incident was ‘much ado about nothing’, he later admitted that he had deliberately kicked the ball at Van Persie and apologised when they met again.

Williams only received two red cards during his seven-year stint in the Premier League with Swansea and Everton, both from his time with the Toffees.

The former Wales international made 241 top-flight appearances during his professional career, scoring six goals and providing five assists.

The 2009 Welsh Footballer of the Year retired following the 2019/20 season, which he spent at Championship side Bristol City.