IFA chairman, Shino Zoertz, acknowledged the right to host the European Under-19 Championship in 2027 and revealed that the Peace Stadium in Umm al-Fahm will be one of the four where the games will be held. UEFA President, Alex Sprin: "We trust you. The success of the national teams The Israeliness last summer is impressive and testifies to the correct work of the association and the clubs"
A day after the announcement that the Israel Football Association and the State of Israel were chosen to host the prestigious European Under-19 Championship final tournament in 2027, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin arrived yesterday for a visit to Israel, along with senior UEFA officials: Zoran Lakovic, Marius Georgiou and Julian Silberstein.
Upon landing at Ben Gurion Airport, a press conference was held at Fatal Terminal with the participation of Aleksander Čeferin and the IFA chairman, Shino Zoertz, in which the two spoke.
The chairman of the association, Zoertz: "Alex, dear friend, I want to thank you for coming to Israel and for the privilege given to us by UEFA to host the European Under-19 Championship in 2027. This is another proof of our trust in us and our hard work and commitment, we will do everything to ensure another unforgettable tournament. It's a short, but important visit, and I'm sure it will be successful. You are a dear friend of Israeli football, who helps us promote the industry, and your arrival here is always welcome."
UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin: "We have an excellent relationship on a personal level and so does between the Israeli association and UEFA. We trust you and we showed it yesterday with the decision to host the European Under-19 Championship in 2027. The successes of the Israeli national teams last summer are impressive, especially for a small country that has yet to experience such success. This indicates the proper work of the association and the clubs."
The first meeting of the heads of the football association, the chairman Shino Zoertz and the CEO Niv Goldstein, together with the UEFA president and his people, was with the mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Leon and the CEO of the municipality Itzik Larry in the capital. The Football Association and the Jerusalem Municipality are competing for the right to host the conference league finals in 2026 or 2027.
The Mayor of Jerusalem said at the meeting that "Jerusalem boasts first class upgraded sports facilities and in the coming years we will continue to upgrade the existing ones.
We want the international games here with us and we will do whatever it takes to promote this in front of UEFA and the football association. I thank the chairman of the association Shino Zoaretz for mobilizing for Jerusalem and congratulate UEFA president Mr. Aleksander Čeferin for his visit to the city and his willingness to bring the games The most important football in the world for Jerusalem."
UEFA president thanked the mayor and said that "Jerusalem is a special city with a tremendous history, an encouraging present and a wonderful future. I am certainly happy about the desire to host the conference league final, but of course I cannot commit to it. Each of the competing cities offers magical options for fans and teams and we of course strive for the best."
The UEFA president concluded his visit to Israel with a meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in his office, along with the IFA chairman, the association's CEO, Sports Minister Miki Zohar, the CEO of his office Kafir Cohen and other senior officials.
In the conversation, the Prime Minister thanked the President of UEFA for choosing Israel to host the European Under-19 Championship in 2027 and was updated by the chairman of the association that the games in the tournament, in which 8 national teams will take part, will be held at the Peace Stadium in Umm al-Fahm, at the Rehovot Stadium, in Afula and Shlomo Insurance in PT.
Zoertz emphasized the national and social importance in choosing the stadiums and cities where the games will be held and his expectation for a national celebration that will strengthen coexistence in Israeli society and unity around the national team.