Infantino-backed FIFA Under-15 World Cup plan included symbolic Israel-Palestine opener

A proposed FIFA Under-15 World Cup involving all 211 of the organisation’s member associations included plans for an opening match between Israel and Palestine, according to The Athletic.

The tournament, developed with a group of investors and designed as a commercial football festival, was promoted as a global competition for players aged under 15. It had already attracted a number of sponsors, while discussions were held with ESPN over possible broadcasting rights.

However, the project was ultimately abandoned and did not progress, partly because approval from all 211 FIFA member associations would have been required.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino was involved in the proposal and wanted the opening fixture to feature Israel and Palestine, despite the ongoing conflict between the two sides. The Athletic reported that the match was intended to carry a symbolic message.

That element was eventually dropped. Infantino’s previous attempts to use football as a way of promoting reconciliation between Israel and Palestine had not succeeded, according to the report.

The tournament’s concept was inspired by the Little League World Series, an international youth baseball and softball competition. The proposed football event would have brought together teams representing every FIFA member association in an expanded Under-15 format.

The plan was developed by Carlos Rodriguez, a former senior commissioner of the Mexican Football Federation. It also received backing from Eldridge Industries, the American company led by Todd Boehly, who is a co-owner of Chelsea.

Organisers held talks with ESPN, which has broadcast the Little League World Series for many years. The proposed venue was the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex near Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

The site is a large sports campus operated by the American sports network. Disney also owns ESPN, and the plans included holding the tournament’s opening and closing ceremonies at Disney World.

Although the competition would have been aimed at young players, its scale and presentation were intended to give it the feel of a major international sporting festival. The involvement of investors, prospective sponsors and a potential broadcaster suggested an effort to build an event with a substantial commercial platform.

The proposed Israel-Palestine fixture was among the most politically significant aspects of the idea. Infantino had sought to give the match a prominent place in the tournament, but the plan could not overcome the practical and political difficulties surrounding it.

In the end, the requirement for agreement from all FIFA’s 211 members was one of the key obstacles to taking the project forward. The proposed Under-15 World Cup was therefore abandoned before it could become an official FIFA competition.