News - Middle East: FIFA, the world football's governing body, has stripped Indonesia of the 2023 U-20 World Cup hosting rights after massive protests in the Muslim-majority country against the participation of the Israeli team.

In a statement on Wednesday, FIFA said it has decided to “remove Indonesia as the host of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023” following a meeting between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) Erick Thohir.

The statement said the decision was made “due to current circumstances” but did not provide any further details.

The decision comes as FIFA canceled the draw event which was set to be held on Friday in Bali amid protests in the Muslim-majority country against hosting an Israeli team. Support for the Palestinian cause runs deep in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.
Bali island governor Wayan Koster had reportedly refused to host the Israeli team for the draw ceremony.

 According to media reports, he called on the Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sports to "adopt a policy forbidding the Israeli team from competing in Bali."

In its statement, FIFA said, “Potential sanctions against the PSSI may also be decided at a later stage.”

Support for the Palestinian cause is not strange in sporting fields as athletes from Muslim countries have repeatedly refused to compete against Israeli opponents at major international events to protest Israel’s crimes and occupation of Palestinian land.