Indonesia in FIFA talks after U-20 World Cup Israel protests

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Tuesday he was sending the country’s football association chief for talks with FIFA about its hosting of the Under-20 World Cup after the draw was nixed following protests over Israel’s participation. The two countries do not have formal diplomatic relations, and support for the Palestinian cause in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation runs high, fuelling local opposition to hosting the Israeli team. Widodo said he had dispatched Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) head and minister for state-owned enterprises Erick Thohir as uncertainty swirled over the competition’s location. “I have sent PSSI chief Erick Thohir to meet with the FIFA team to look for the best solution,” Widodo said in a livestreamed speech.