On Wednesday, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) announced that Indonesia would no longer be hosting the 2023 Under-20 World Cup.
FIFA stated that they would be announcing a new host soon while keeping the tournament dates unchanged.
The draw for the competition, scheduled for May 20-June 11, was cancelled by FIFA on Friday following protests over Israel’s involvement in the 24-team event.
The reason for the cancellation was not specified in FIFA’s statement.
Indonesia’s removal as the tournament’s host may be linked to political tensions over Israel’s participation.
Indonesia and Israel do not have formal diplomatic relations, and support for the Palestinian cause in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation is high, leading to local opposition to hosting the Israeli team.
According to Indonesian officials, the governor of Bali’s call for Israel to be thrown out of the cup due to its policies towards the Palestinians was likely behind the cancellation of the draw.
In addition, around one hundred conservative Muslim demonstrators protested in the capital, Jakarta, this month against Israel’s involvement in the tournament.