UDINE, Italy (AP) — The World Cup qualifying match between Israel and Italy is set to proceed in a unique atmosphere on Tuesday, marked by recent geopolitical events despite a breakthrough ceasefire deal that has temporarily halted two years of conflict in Gaza. There will be heightened security measures in place throughout Udine, particularly around the stadium.
A pro-Palestinian demonstration is scheduled to take place in the city center a few hours prior to the match, with expectations of drawing around 10,000 participants. Organizers have planned to keep the march away from the stadium, which is situated on the outskirts of the city. Interestingly, it is anticipated that the number of demonstrators may surpass the attendance at the qualifier, as just over 9,000 tickets have been sold for the 25,000-seat Stadio Friuli. Recently, there has been a surge in ticket sales, with sales doubling in the week leading up to the match.
The match will occur four days after the ceasefire took effect and 24 hours after the release of all 20 remaining Israeli hostages by Hamas, along with hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel as part of the ceasefire agreement. Italy’s coach Gennaro Gattuso expressed feelings of gratitude and happiness about the ceasefire, appreciating the presence of spectators while also being mindful of those who will be outside the stadium.
Gattuso mentioned, “I’m disappointed as so many families wanted to bring their children... We are happy that the war has been stopped.” The choice of Udine for the match was strategic, characterized by the city’s relative inaccessibility and the manageable task of securing the stadium area. To ensure safety, roadblocks will be established around the stadium, and helicopters will be deployed throughout the day due to the match being classified as a high-risk event.
In recent history, Israel faced protests when playing in Norway, where around 1,000 demonstrators approached the stadium. Additionally, protesters attempted to breach Italy's training facility in Florence ten days ago, demanding the cancellation of the match during a national strike that engaged millions of activists across the country. Amid these growing tensions, UEFA had considered the possibility of suspending Israel from matches, while Udine's Mayor, Alberto Felice De Toni, had urged for the game to be postponed.
Gattuso, however, stated that he has focused solely on the game with his players and that they are aware of the larger context, saying, “But they know, I don’t have to tell them anything... we will focus on what we have to do.” The significance of the match is amplified for Italy, as they need a win against Israel to enhance their chances of qualifying for the World Cup, aiming to avoid missing out for the third consecutive time.
Currently, Italy occupies the second position in their qualifying group, trailing Norway by six points and holding a three-point lead over Israel. Both teams have played one game more than Italy. The structure of the playoffs mandates that only the group winner advances directly to next year’s tournament in North America, while the second-place team has to contend in a playoff, a stage where Italy failed to progress during the qualifiers for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
