Norway to donate ticket sales from Israel qualifier to Gaza aid

The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) has announced that ticket revenue from their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Israel will be donated to humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza.

Norway host Israel in Oslo on October 11 in a Group I clash at Ullevaal Stadion, with ticket sales set to open on August 25.

"Neither we nor other organizations can remain indifferent to the humanitarian suffering and disproportionate attacks that the civilian population in Gaza has been subjected to for a long time," NFF president Lise Klaveness wqas quoted as saying in a statement on Tuesday. "We want to donate the proceeds to a humanitarian organization that saves lives in Gaza every day and provides active emergency aid on the ground."

The Israel Football Association (IFA) responded on Wednesday, urging its Norwegian counterpart to also condemn the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and ensure that "the money is not transferred to terrorist organizations or to whale hunting."

The NFF said it is coordinating with UEFA and local police on security for the match, with capacity at the 26,000-seat stadium likely to be reduced by up to 3,000 due to safety concerns.

Israel, unable to host matches on home soil since October last year, played their "home" qualifier against Norway in Hungary in March, where the Norwegians claimed a 4-2 win. Norway currently lead the five-nation group, ahead of Israel and Italy.