Netanyahu Meets with Union of European Football Associations President as Israel Set to Host U19 European Championship

Eight national teams will take part in the tournament, which will be held at stadiums in Rehovot, Petah Tikva, Afula and at the Peace Stadium in Um al-Fahm.

By United with Israel Staff, JNS

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday met at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem with Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) President Aleksander Čeferin, together with Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar, Israeli Football Association (IFA) Chairman Moshe Shino Zuares and IFA CEO Niv Goldstein, in the framework of the UEFA President’s visit to Israel.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, “Netanyahu thanked UEFA President Ceferin for the selection of Israel to host the U19 European Championship in 2027 and was updated by IFA Chairman Zuares that eight national teams will take part in the tournament, which will be held at stadiums in Rehovot, Petah Tikva, Afula and at the Peace Stadium in Um al-Fahm.”

“The choice of the stadiums and cities where the games will take place is of national importance, and will strengthen coexistence in Israeli society and cohesion around the national team,” PMO added.

The possibility that Jerusalem will host 2026/27 Conference League Final was also discussed as well as the possibility that a UEFA Congress might be held in Israel in the near future.

On Wednesday, Ceferin met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Accorfing to a separate statement, “President Herzog thanked Mr. Čeferin for UEFA’s decision to select Israel to host the 2027 Under-19 European Championships, and welcomed the UEFA President’s recognition of the progress and historic achievements Israeli football had made in recent years. The two also discussed the importance of efforts to combat violence on the sports field.”

The meetings come on the heels of a series of stellar performances by Israeli national teams.

Two weeks ago, the men’s team pulled out a heart-stopping 1-0 victory over Belarus, keeping it in contention to qualify for the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship.

While Israel is fighting for a trip to Germany next year, the team has already qualified for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, the third time Israeli soccer will be heading to the Olympics.

In July, Israel reached the semifinals of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, and a month earlier the Blue and White capped an historic run at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Argentina by beating South Korea 3-1 to finish the tournament in third place.

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