Middle East

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has sparked debate by selecting James Trafford to start against Spain, a move interpreted as the beginning of a rotation system to prepare for a potential handover from Jordan Pickford. While former goalkeeper Paul Robinson insists Pickford remains the undisputed first choice, he supports Tuchel's strategy of giving the 24-year-old Trafford competitive experience to mitigate the risks associated with relying solely on an aging number one goalkeeper.

Netanyahu is campaigning to preserve his political influence amid conflicting tactics, warning of civil war while simultaneously urging the opposition to join a unified government under his leadership. As Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot with forming a new government, speculation suggests that the Ultra Orthodox United Torah Judaism party may align with Eisenkot to secure the working majority needed to displace Netanyahu’s coalition.

Israel and the Republic of Ireland have been drawn together in the Uefa Nations League, turning their fixtures into deeply charged occasions. The matches have become contentious because of Ireland's strongly pro-Palestinian public and political stance, protests and calls to boycott Israeli teams, and the presence of Israeli players and officials. The sides are set to meet again, with security, protests and political symbolism expected to overshadow the football.

Israel revoked the diplomatic status of Dutch diplomats at the Netherlands' Representative Office in Ramallah and ordered them to return their Israeli-issued documentation within seven days, in retaliation for the Dutch ban on imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the Netherlands may represent its interests with the Palestinians from Palestinian Authority territory rather than from Israel. The Netherlands, a major gateway for settlement goods entering Europe, brought its import, purchase and sale ban into force on September 22.