On Wednesday, FIFA revoked Indonesia’s ability to host the U20 World Cup eight weeks prior to the start of the tournament. FIFA said it revoked Indonesia’s hosting responsibilities taken away “due to the current circumstances” without providing additional details. The decision was made following a meeting with Indonesia Soccer Federation President Erik Thohir and FIFA President Sepp Blatter in Doha, Qatar.
Multiple reports have tied FIFA’s decision to revoke Indonesia’s ability to host the world tournament to Israel’s participation. Israel qualified for its first U20 World Cup in June of last year. Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, has not maintained diplomatic relations with Israel and publicly supported the people of Palestine.
FIFA has pulled the U20 World Cup from Indonesia.
The tournament is still set to run May 20-June 11 and FIFA will announce a new host "as soon as possible".
The United States are qualified for the premier youth int'l tournament.
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) March 29, 2023
Founded in 1904 to provide inclusivity among national soccer associations, the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) “boasts 209 members, rivaling that of the United Nations, and is arguably the most prestigious sports organization in the world.”
“A new host will be announced as soon as possible, with the dates of the tournament currently remaining unchanged,” FIFA mentioned in their statement. ”
Potential sanctions against the PSSI may also be decided at a later stage.”
The 24-team tournament is scheduled to start on May 20. Argentina, which did not previously qualify for the tournament, is reportedly interested in hosting.
