The Eretz Israel Football Association was established in 1928 under the British Mandate and became a FIFA member on 6 June 1929. Its representative team entered World Cup qualifying in 1934, playing Egypt home and away. Those were matches by the Mandate-era side, not by an independent Israeli national team. Israel became a state in 1948; its new national team toured the United States that September.
UEFA’s historical account also notes the 1964 Asian Cup win and the association’s later membership timeline.
From AFC champion to exclusion
Israel joined the Asian Football Confederation in 1956 and won the 1964 Asian Cup as host. Regional boycotts increasingly made fixtures difficult to arrange. In 1974, an AFC congress approved a proposal to exclude Israel after a series of member states refused to play it. UEFA records that Israel left the AFC that year “for political reasons.”
The 1958 World Cup campaign illustrates the distinction between qualifying and reaching the finals: Israel advanced through regional rounds without playing, then lost 2–0 to Wales in a playoff. In 1970, by contrast, Israel did qualify and played in Mexico. UEFA’s association history records the Mandate-era FIFA entry, the AFC years, and the later move to Europe.
Oceania and admission to UEFA
Israel competed in Oceania qualifying during the years without an AFC home. It began playing regularly in European competitions in 1991, and the IFA became a full UEFA member in 1994. A 1993 UEFA rule change allowed the organization to accept an association outside Europe that was not affiliated with another confederation, clearing the way for Israel’s admission. UEFA’s account of the membership decision gives the dates and the rule change.
Israel’s history therefore spans three distinct settings: a Mandate-era federation in FIFA, membership in Asian football, and regular European competition. The senior team’s sole World Cup appearance came in 1970; its UEFA membership began in 1994.