A coalition of advocacy organisations and football fan groups has launched a campaign urging European federations to ban Israel’s national team and players, unveiling a striking billboard in New York’s Times Square on Tuesday.
The initiative, branded #GameOverIsrael, comes less than a year before the United States, Canada, and Mexico co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with New York set to stage eight matches, including the final.
The billboard, located at the busy Broadway and West 43rd Street intersection, displayed the message: “Soccer Federations: Boycott Israel.”
The campaign specifically calls on national federations in Belgium, England, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Scotland, and Spain to suspend both Israel’s participation in international football and the eligibility of its players in domestic competitions.
Organisers cite the ongoing conflict in Gaza, referencing a United Nations Commission of Inquiry report released Tuesday that accused Israel of committing genocide claims dismissed by Israeli officials as “scandalous” and “fake.”
Abed Ayoub, National Executive Director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, said in a statement: “The world must tell Israel that the game is over, and there is no room in sports for war criminals.”
Israel currently sit third in UEFA World Cup qualifying Group I, behind Norway and Italy. The group winners secure direct entry to the 2026 tournament, while runners-up head to the playoffs.