“Israeli” Esports Team Sings Anthem and Lifts Flag in Saudi Arabia

By Staff, Agencies

An “Israeli” esports team played the entity’s anthem and lifted the “Israeli” flag in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on Tuesday at a videogame tournament organized by FIFA and EA Sports.

The “Israeli” entity's Kan broadcaster reported that singing the anthem was part of the dress rehearsal for the opening ceremony for the FIFAe World Cup finals, a competition drawing the world's best players of the FIFA 23 football video game, being held in the Saudi capital.

The “Israeli” entity and Saudi Arabia have no official ties, though relations have warmed considerably in recent years.

The official FIFA account published a video on Tuesday during which the “Israeli” players appear for a short moment along with the entity’s flag.

The “Israeli” team travelled on Friday to the United Arab Emirates and then to Riyadh using “Israeli” passports, and FIFA officials coordinated the visit, Kan reported.

The “Israeli” esports team comprises three gamers, a coach and a deputy manager, and is protected by a security company while in Riyadh. On Wednesday, they were at the top of their D Group, which included teams from Sweden, Germany, Peru, India and South Africa.

A source privy to the visit's details told Kan that the Saudis vetoed “Israel's” FIFAe team singing the anthem in front of an audience at the ceremony.

It was decided to sing it in dress rehearsal and be filmed without the presence of an audience. The Saudis also did not broadcast the parade of teams or give the full-dress rehearsal video to the “Israeli” team.

Roi Kais, a Tel Aviv-based journalist, published a video of the “Israeli” delegation singing the anthem in the dress rehearsal.

The “Israel” FIFAe team is ranked second in the world and has a high chance of winning the competition hosted in Riyadh between 6 and 19 July.

The “Israeli” gamers received a letter from the Saudi Esports Association approving their entry to the country. However, the letter did not name “Israel” but said that all national teams from countries in the competition could enter Saudi Arabia.

FIFA asks countries to set politics aside when hosting one of its competitions. In March, FIFA stripped Indonesia of the right to host the Under-20 World Cup after Jakarta refused to host the “Israeli” team.

The visit by the entity’s esports team to Saudi Arabia was hailed in “Israeli” media as a sign of normalization between the two countries.

In recent weeks, US officials said that the possibility of a deal between the “Israeli” entity and Saudi Arabia is not imminent, as Riyadh demanded security guarantees from the US and a solution to the Palestinian Cause.