Italy-Israel match to be played amid tight security in Udine.
An estimated 10,000 people are set to join a pro-Palestinian march in the north Italian city of Udine on Tuesday ahead of a crucial World Cup qualifier between Italy and Israel.
The highly contentious football match will be played in Stadio Friuli at 20.45 in front of an expected 9,000 spectators, potentially fewer than the protesters expected to demonstrate in the city on Tuesday afternoon.
Security chiefs plan to keep the rally away from the stadium, situated in the suburbs, as the Azzurri seek to defeat Israel to secure a place in the play-offs for the World Cup.
Last Sunday, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) reported that more than 8,000 tickets were sold out of a total of 16,000.
However, the Stadio Friuli can normally hold 25,000 people, and its capacity has been reduced. If the numbers remain the same, the stadium will be largely empty.
The game is going ahead as scheduled despite widespread calls for it to be called off, including from the centre-left mayor of Udine, Alberto Felice De Toni, who said it was “inappropriate”.
Italian media reported that Udine was “in lockdown” ahead of the match, with “exceptional” security measures in place, including snipers on the roofs of the stadium and the hotel where the Israeli players are staying.
Fans will be subjected to intensive screening before entering the stadium whose entrance has been blocked with anti-intrusion barriers to prevent vehicles from ploughing into crowds.
Around 1,000 police officers – with reinforcements from special forces, including bomb disposal experts – will be on duty in the city, while police helicopters and drones patrol the skies.
Protests against the controversial match are due to take place around Italy on Tuesday evening, including in Rome’s Piazzale Ostiense, leading to traffic restrictions.
Image: Protests in Udine on 14 October 2024. Photo credit: luca pbl / Shutterstock.com.
