Israel at the AFC Asian Cup

Main article: Israel national football team § Asian Football Confederation membership
The Israel national team winning the 1964 AFC Asian Cup

Israel competed at the AFC Asian Cup four times. In 1956 and 1960 Israel finished second, in 1964 they finished first, and in 1968 they finished third.[1] In 1972 Israel qualified for the tournament as hosts but later had to withdraw.[2]

See also: Muslim and Arab World boycott, Mediterranean Games boycott, and AFC boycott

Israel was one of the founding members of the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) following its own independence in 1948 (prior to that it played under the banner of the "British Mandate of Palestine").[3] After the 1974 Asian Games in Iran, and Israel's 0–1 tense loss to Iran in the finals,[4] Kuwait and other Muslim and Arab countries refused to play them. Following this, Israel were expelled from the confederation and spent a few years trying to qualify from such continental bodies as the OFC (Oceania), before eventually joining UEFA (Europe) officially.[5]

  1. ^ Asian Nations Cup
  2. ^ "Malaysia, Singapore stay in Asian Cup central zone". The Straits Times. 16 August 1970. Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Site-Map-Israel-Football-Facts—Stats". Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  4. ^ "Bayati recalls Iran's tense win over Israel". Archived from the original on 7 April 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  5. ^ Montague, James (27 February 2008). "Time is right for Israel to return to its Asian roots". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2021.