The Trump administration will work to prevent FIFA banning Israel from international football ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Sky News can reveal.

Football's world and European governing bodies were urged this week by United Nations (UN) advisory experts to suspend all Israeli teams over the war in Gaza.

FIFA has not responded to the UN special rapporteurs as Israel's men continue trying to qualify for next year's World Cup, which is largely being played in the United States.

And the US government, through Marco Rubio's state department, has made a direct intervention to stop sporting sanctions being imposed.

A state department spokesperson told Sky News: "We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel's national soccer team from the World Cup."

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