Italy midfielder Bryan Cristante is hopeful that the announcement of a first-phase agreement between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Thursday, October 9, will lead to full stadiums for his team’s upcoming World Cup qualifier against Israel, Reuters reported.
Italy will host Israel in Udine on Tuesday, October 14, and Reuters reports that more people are expected to be seen outside the field than inside the Bluenergy Stadium (formerly Stadio Friuli), where large groups of pro-Palestinian protesters are expected to gather in the city.
As of Wednesday, 4,000 tickets had been sold for a stadium with a capacity of more than 25,000 for Italy’s upcoming rematch against Israel in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, according to the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).
Amid the long-running conflict, Israel and Hamas have signed an agreement to implement a ceasefire in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and the release of Israeli hostages, the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s initiative to end the war in Gaza, which has been welcomed by many world leaders.
“We’re all extremely happy about this news, which came out this morning,” Cristante told reporters, according to Reuters.
“It was what we all wanted and we hope that in Udine the stadium will be full because we need our supporters to give us that extra push, that extra gear which comes from having a packed stadium cheering for us, as they always have.”
Italy (4-1) played Israel in a European Nations League match held at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine on 14 October last year, with 11,700 spectators in attendance, where protests, boycotts, and massive security measures kept many fans away.
When the two teams faced off in a 2026 FIFA World Cup European qualifier at the neutral venue of Debrecen, Hungary, on 8 September, Italy defeated Israel 5–4, where some Italian fans present turned their backs to the pitch and displayed banners reading “Stop” during the Israeli national anthem (Hatikvah).
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