Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) have confirmed that Israel’s youth national soccer team can participate in the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup, to be hosted next year by the Southeast Asian nation, even though the two countries have no diplomatic relations.

“We have been discussing it since 2019. All countries that qualify to participate in the 2023 U-20 World Cup are welcome to play [in Indonesia],” Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali said in an Indonesian-language PSSI statement. He emphasized that sports should not be linked to politics and said, “That’s why FIFA has conveyed to us, [that] any country that passes, must be able to compete in Indonesia. So, there is no problem. Surely our security forces will provide a sense of security. This is something that needs to be considered.”

PSSI Secretary General Yunus Nusi also stated that all qualifying countries have the right to play in the U-20 World Cup, citing an agreement reached with the government last year.

The FIFA U-20 World Cup will take place in Indonesia from May 20-June 11, 2023.

Israel’s youth national soccer team secured its spot in next year’s tournament over the weekend, by qualifying for the semi-finals at the 2022 Under-19 EURO taking place in Slovakia. In the match taking place on Tuesday, Israel goes head-to-head against France, while England takes on Italy. All four semi-finalists will compete in the U-20 World Cup in Indonesia.