The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) stripped Indonesia of hosting the FIFA U-20 Men's World Cup , scheduled for May 20-June 11, after a political problem over its objection to the participation of the Israeli national team.

"A new host will be announced as soon as possible, with the tournament dates currently remaining unchanged," FIFA said in a statement on Wednesday, referring to possible "sanctions" against the Indonesian Football Federation, without giving additional details on the reasons for withdrawing the tournament and content with the phrase "due to the current circumstances." ".

The draw scheduled for Friday was canceled due to the call of the governor of Bali to exclude Israel from the tournament, which will be held in six cities with the participation of 24 teams.

There is no official diplomatic relationship between the two countries, and support for the Palestinian cause in the largest Muslim-majority country has raised tensions over hosting Israel.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced that he would send the president of the Football Association, Eric Tohir , former president of the Italian club Inter, to hold talks with FIFA officials.

"I did my best. After I presented a message from President Joko Widodo and spoke for a long time with FIFA President Jani Infantino , we have to accept FIFA's decision to cancel the event that we were both looking forward to," Thohir said after meeting the FIFA president in Doha.

He added, "Indonesia is a member of the International Federation, and therefore with regard to matters of international football, we must follow the laws set. FIFA considers that the matter cannot continue in this way, and therefore we must acquiesce."

Indonesia has not competed in this tournament since 1979 and would have participated in it as the host country, but now it will lose its seat in the finals.

Officials revealed that the possible factor in canceling the lottery was the call of the governor of Bali, Ian Koster, to exclude Israel because of its policies towards the Palestinians, in a letter addressed to the Ministry of Youth and Sports last month.

Israel is scheduled to participate after qualifying for the first time to the finals, while Jakarta pledged to protect its participation.

The organizers hoped that hosting Israel's matches on the Hindu-majority island of Bali would lead to solutions, but Koster's opposition cast more doubts.

About 100 conservative Muslim demonstrators marched in the capital, Jakarta, this month to protest Israel's participation.

The country's president had called for politics not to conflict with sports, "I confirm that Israel's participation has nothing to do with the consistency of our foreign policy towards Palestine. Because our support for Palestine is always strong and firm. Do not mix sports with politics."

Widodo's intervention came after football officials in Jakarta feared losing the right to host the first major tournament, and isolating the country spherically by subjecting them to sanctions from the International Federation if they failed to resolve the issue.

Indonesia suffered one of the worst stadium disasters in the history of football, which led to the death of 135 people in a stampede in the city of Malang, east Java last October, including more than forty children.

FIFA stressed that despite this decision, it "remains committed to assisting the Indonesian Football Federation, in close cooperation and with the assistance of the government of President Widodo, in the process of transforming Indonesian football after the tragedy that occurred in October 2022. FIFA team members will continue to be present in Indonesia in the coming months, and will provide assistance to the federation." Indonesian under the leadership of President Thohir.

Officials are trying to polish the game's reputation after being suspended by the International Federation in 2015 for a year, due to government interference in the game.