A coalition of 70 prominent athletes, including former Manchester United star Paul Pogba, has urged UEFA to suspend Israel from international football competitions. The letter, addressed to UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, was coordinated by advocacy groups Game Over Israel and Athletes 4 Peace. It accuses Israel of committing genocide, apartheid, and crimes against humanity, and calls for its exclusion to prevent the normalization of such actions in the sporting world. The campaign gained momentum after reports in September suggested that a majority of UEFA’s executive committee supported suspending Israel over its actions in Gaza. However, a planned vote was delayed following a ceasefire proposal by former US President Donald Trump. Critics, including Game Over Israel’s campaign director Ashish Prashar, argue that the pause in action reflects either naivety or deliberate inaction. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) recently approved a motion to formally request Israel’s suspension, with 74 members voting in favor. Similar calls have emerged from other UEFA member nations, including Norway and Turkey. The athletes’ letter highlights the participation of teams from illegal settlements in Israeli football leagues as a violation of international law and asserts that UEFA’s funding and support for the Israel Football Association (IFA) may implicate the organization in these violations. Signatories include Fulham’s Adama Traoré, Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech, and former Leicester manager Nigel Pearson. UEFA’s potential vote on the matter could occur by the end of the month, according to sources close to the campaign. The athletes emphasized that no international platform should welcome a regime accused of such crimes, citing historical precedents like the suspension of apartheid South Africa, Germany, Yugoslavia, and Russia. UEFA previously displayed a banner condemning Israel’s actions during the European Super Cup final in August. The campaign’s success could pressure FIFA to act, though the global body faces counter-pressure from the US, which has vowed to prevent Israel’s exclusion from the 2026 World Cup. Despite these efforts, Israel’s chances of qualifying for the tournament remain slim.