MANCHESTER UNITED legend Eric Cantona has called on Fifa and Uefa to suspend Israel from international football over its war in Gaza. Speaking at the Together 4 Palestine event in London on Wednesday night, Cantona compared the situation to the swift action taken against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

“Four days after Russia started a war, they were suspended,” Cantona said. “We are now over 700 days into what Amnesty International has called a genocide, and yet Israel continues to play.”

Despite ongoing conflict and damning reports from Amnesty International and a UN inquiry, Israel’s national team remains active in World Cup qualifiers and Maccabi Tel Aviv is still competing in the Europa League.

Cantona, known for his political activism, emphasised football’s global influence: “International football is more than sport. It’s culture, politics, soft power.”

Israel hasn’t qualified for a World Cup since 1970 but remains in contention for the 2026 tournament, currently sitting third in their group. Cantona’s comments add growing pressure on football’s governing bodies to respond.