FIFA president Gianni Infantino's latest bright idea is staging the 2030 World Cup in Israel and its neighbouring countries.
He was speaking at the 10th Annual Jerusalem Post Conference.
Qatar will host the next installation of the World Cup in 2022. The 2026 edition is to be split between the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The destination of the 2030 World Cup is scheduled to be decided in 2024, and Infantino has already been floating a potential host.
Not content with wanting to stage the World Cup every two years, the FIFA president now wants to do what generations of politicians have failed to do - bring peace to the Middle East.
Infantino met with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Tuesday evening as part of his visit to the country. Together they discussed the possibility of bringing the World Cup to the country.
Welcome to Israel, President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino!⚽️
It was a pleasure meeting you and hearing your idea about Israel hosting the @FIFAWorldCup in 2030, together with our Arab neighbors.
That’s a goal we can all work towards! 🥅 pic.twitter.com/CXi9TIgcFn— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 12, 2021
"We have been speaking a lot in recent months after the UAE and Israel signed their normalisation agreement. So perhaps co-hosting is an option," said Infantino.
"The next World Cup after Qatar will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States – obviously three huge countries. So why not Israel?"
A meeting with the Palestinian FA (PFA) was cancelled after they took issue with Infantino's appearance at the Friedman Centre on Monday viewed as a "violation of the Islamic religion".
The Museum is built over an historic Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem.
"We had hoped that this visit would be a prelude to ending the suffering of the Palestinian players and the occupation measures aimed at impeding the dissemination and development of the game in the Palestinian territories," the PFA said, "And not to support the Anglican-Zionist groups that profess their call to violate international law and deny the basic rights of the Palestinian people."
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