Security concerns overshadow Israel's World Cup qualifiers in Norway and Italy

Reuters ^ | OCTOBER 7, 2025

[MinorityRepublican]

Israel's World Cup qualifiers in Norway and Italy are being overshadowed by security concerns, with the mayor of the northern Italian city of Udine warning about the situation ahead of the match scheduled to be played there next week.

The Israeli team is set to visit Norway on Saturday and Italy on Tuesday in Group I. The first match is at the Norway national team's home, Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, while the Italy game will be hosted at Serie A club Udinese's Stadio Friuli, with limited attendance.

In recent weeks, demonstrators have taken to the streets in Italy against Israel's operations in Gaza and Israel's interception of the activist Global Sumud Flotilla.

Clashes with police were reported in cities including Rome and Milan.

The mayor of Udine, Alberto Felice de Toni, told Italy's LaPresse: "I had asked for the (Israel) match to be postponed because the atmosphere was not right for a national celebration as a national team game should be, but that request was not considered (by the authorities) for various reasons.

"It would have been a better idea to play it behind closed doors, to avoid throwing fuel on the fire."

"We will end up with 6,000 people inside the stadium and 10,000 outside," De Toni added. "It's a situation that was rather forced upon us, the situation is dramatic and paradoxical, there are going to be more people outside than in the arena."

Unlike some other European countries, such as the UK and France, Italy has not recognized a Palestinian state.

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TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: israel; italy; norway; worldcup

[John Milner]

Is it fair to assume it’s all muslims doing the rabblerousing? Or are historically Italian citizens also joining in?

Funny how that is never clarified.

[MinorityRepublican]

Or are historically Italian citizens also joining in?

From my understanding.

[rktman]

Has “Never Again!” expired or something?

[toddausauras]

Woke whites are a worldwide disease and of course they’ll be part of it.

[SunkenCiv]

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