Italian Pro-Palestinian Activists Clash with Police Ahead of World Cup Qualifier

Italy’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Israel on Tuesday was preceded by tensions as some pro-Palestinian demonstrators clashed with police, while thousands of others peacefully marched through Udine to protest the hosting of a match they believed should not take place.

Despite the Gaza ceasefire signed on Monday and a hostage and prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas, approximately 10,000 protestors gathered in the north-eastern city. A small fraction of the march ended in disorder, prompting intervention by police.

“It’s pointless hiding it, today was not easy, neither for us nor for you,” Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso told journalists after the match.

“There were many days in which we thought there might be a possibility that we might not even play the match. We came here knowing it wouldn’t be a party atmosphere and we felt that.

“I hope that in the future things will be a bit calmer. I think it will be; I don’t know what other problems could come out.”

A substantial security operation was deployed to prevent disorder near the Bluenergy Stadium, where Italy defeated Israel 3-0 in a Group I fixture. Over 1,000 police officers and army personnel were stationed, with helicopters and drones monitoring the march.

• Spectators were required to pass concrete barriers and metal detectors before entering the stadium.
• Checkpoints were set up in a ring around the ground to ensure no protestors reached the stadium or the Israel team.
• Police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse a small number of marchers who threw projectiles.

The march began peacefully at 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT), with music, drumming, and dancing, and banners reading “Show Israel the red card” waved by people of all ages.

Amer Hasan, a 61-year-old Palestinian originally from the West Bank, has lived in Italy for over 40 years and helped organise the march:

“There’s no talk of a Palestinian state, no talk of self-determination, no mention of the West Bank or the fate of Gaza… it seems like Gaza will be governed by Tony Blair and Donald Trump, without any involvement from the Palestinians.

“We shouldn’t be playing this match because a team that represents a nation that has committed a genocide is playing.”

Hasan represents Palestinian communities in Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and along with four other associations, coordinated Tuesday’s march, which involved more than 340 activist groups from across Italy.

Protestors called for FIFA to exclude Israel from international competition, drawing parallels with the sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

• Over 67,869 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Gaza since Israel launched a military offensive in response to Hamas’s attack on 7 October 2023.
• Activists criticised the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) for refusing to consider a boycott of Israeli fixtures, unlike the Norwegian FA, whose head Lise Klaveness recently advocated sanctions against Israel.

“The Norwegian FA has begun taking a position against the presence of Israeli teams; there’s a totally different type of behaviour across the board compared to what you see here in Italy,” said Carlina, an activist from the Udine Committee for Palestine.

Only 10,000 fans attended the fixture, with roughly 100 supporting Israel. Many Italian fans booed the Israeli national anthem, though applause drowned out some of the negativity during the match.

Italy’s scoring summary:

Italy’s win secured at least second place in Group I, guaranteeing a play-off spot for the 2026 World Cup, though only top spot offers automatic qualification. Norway leads Italy by three points, with a vastly superior goal difference, and two matches remaining.