UDINE, Italy - The city of Udine is currently on high alert as Italy gears up to host Israel in a competitive soccer match on Monday. The match is part of the Nations League and is taking place against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has recently extended to Lebanon following a prolonged war in Gaza.
This will be the first match Israel plays outside of neutral Hungary this year. Since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7 last year, the national soccer team has played in Kosovo and Andorra in November. Subsequently, all Israel matches have been held in Hungary, including last month's away game against Belgium in the Nations League after the Belgian soccer federation declined to host the match due to security concerns.
