Qatar has removed Israel from the official FIFA World Cup hospitality booking website and replaced it with the phrase “Occupied Palestinian Territories.”
In the updated list, Israel will now need to select “Palestine” in order to successfully order tickets for the World Cup, which begins in November. As is the norm, countries can only participate after registering via the official FIFA World Cup booking website.
In accordance with the signed agreement with FIFA, Qatar is required to treat every nation equally, without deleting their names or flags, but fans have called for the ban of Israel amidst the conflict with Palestine, similar to the ban on Russia.
In June, FIFA agreed to let Israeli fans purchase tickets for the tournament and enter Qatar. This will be the first time Israel will be accepted into the country without using foreign passports.
The Hayya card, a fan identity that also doubles as an entry visa for the nation, is another way that Qatar World Cup officials have reaffirmed that all nationalities will be accepted throughout the competition.
Winterhill Hospitality is the official hospitality service provider for the World Cup.
Writing by Ahmed Iya-Abbas, editing by Makcit Rindap