page_title: Israel national football team
section_title: Asian Football Confederation membership
hierarchical_section_title: Israel national football team / History / Asian Football Confederation membership
caption_attribution_description: The Israeli soccer team holds the Asian Cup after its victory over South Korea at Ramat Gan stadium. נבחרת ישראל בכדורגל מחזיקה בגביע אסיה לאחר ניצחונם את דרום קוריאה באיצטדיון רמת גן
context_page_description: The Israel national football team represents Israel in international football, and is governed by the Israel Football Association.
  Israel's national team is the direct successor of the Mandatory Palestine national football team, which played five internationals in 1934–1940, and was managed by the Eretz Israel Football Association. Israel football is a part of the UEFA since 1994 as well.
  The Israeli side qualified for their only FIFA World Cup to date in 1970.
context_section_description: Israel competed in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) between 1954 and 1974. Due to the Arab League boycott of Israel, several Muslim countries refused to compete against Israel. The political situation culminated in Israel winning the 1958 World Cup qualifying stage for Asia and Africa without playing a single game, forcing FIFA to schedule a playoff between Israel and Wales to ensure the team did not qualify without playing at least one game (which Wales won).
  Israel hosted and won the 1964 AFC Asian Cup. In 1968, Israel went to their first Olympic Games and lost to Bulgaria in the quarterfinals.
  In 1969, Israel qualified for its first and only FIFA World Cup, via Asia/Oceania, and earned two points after draws with Sweden and finalist Italy, and a loss to Uruguay.
  In 1976, Israel went to its second Olympic Games and lost in the quarterfinals again, this time against Brazil. In 1972 and 1977, it attempted World Cup qualification as part of Asia, which both times ended in failure.
caption: Israel won the 1964 AFC Asian Cup.
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