FIFA has removed Indonesia as the host of this year's Under-20 World Cup, it announced formally on Wednesday. The decision has been taken amid the political unrest over Israel's participation in the competition.
"Following today’s meeting between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) Erick Thohir, FIFA has decided, due to the current circumstances, to remove Indonesia as the host of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023," the world football governing body said in an official statement.
Notably, the draw for the tournament in which 24 teams were said to participate was scheduled to be held in Bali on Friday but FIFA had already cancelled the event last week. No reason or a new date was given for the event after which it was being speculated that such a move could be on the cards.
It is pertinent to note that Indonesia and Israel do not have formal diplomatic relations. Moreover, there is a widespread support for the Palestinian cause in Indonesia which has led to opposing of the locals hosting Israel in a football tournament. The governor for Bali wanted to Israel to not take part in the tournament while around hundred demonstrators marched in Jakarta to protest Israel's participation.
Indonesian officials and its federation PSSI though were keen on hosting the tournament since the failure to host the tournament could result in sanctions that could bar them from hosting other significant football matches like the Asian Cup or the World Cup qualifiers. However, they couldn't convince FIFA of the country's readiness to host the tournament which is scheduled to commence on May 20 especially after Bali governor's refusal to host Israel.
"A new host will be announced as soon as possible, with the dates of the tournament currently remaining unchanged. Potential sanctions against the PSSI may also be decided at a later stage," FIFA added in its release.
"FIFA would like to underline that despite this decision, it remains committed to actively assisting the PSSI, in close cooperation and with the support of the government of President Widodo, in the transformation process of Indonesian football following the tragedy that occurred in October 2022. Members of the FIFA team will continue to be present in Indonesia in the coming months and will provide the required assistance to the PSSI, under the leadership of President Thohir," their statement further read.
"A new meeting between the FIFA President and the PSSI President for further discussions will be scheduled shortly," it concluded.