For Gaza... Norway to Donate Proceeds from October Match Against Israel

In a notable humanitarian gesture, the Norwegian Football Federation has announced it will donate all proceeds from its upcoming World Cup qualifying match against Israel to support humanitarian efforts in Gaza.

The match is scheduled to take place in Oslo on October 11. In an official statement, Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness said, "We want to donate the proceeds from the match to a humanitarian organization that saves lives daily in Gaza and provides effective emergency aid on the ground." The exact amount expected from ticket sales has not yet been specified and will be announced later.

In response, the Israeli Football Association on Wednesday called on its Norwegian counterpart to officially condemn the attacks of October 7, 2023, and the hostage-taking by Hamas. A statement from the Israeli association, published by the British newspaper "The Telegraph," also appealed to Norway to ensure the funds are not diverted to "terrorist organizations or whaling," a pointed reference to a previous issue for which Norway faced international criticism.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian Federation confirmed it is coordinating with UEFA and local police on enhanced security measures for the match. The statement indicated that these strict security arrangements are expected to reduce the capacity of the "Ullevaal" stadium by approximately 3,000 tickets. The stadium typically holds 26,000 spectators. It is worth noting that Israel has been unable to host its international matches at home since October 2023 due to security concerns, and their previous match against Norway was played in Hungary.

The Norwegian national team currently leads its five-team group, ahead of Israel, after a 4-2 victory against them in March.