Snipers on the roof as Udine is on alert for the Italy-Israel FIFA World Cup qualifier

Snipers are on the roof of the Israeli team hotel in Udine and the Italian city is on high alert ahead of a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

The sound of helicopters monitoring the city has been filling the air since the morning, hours before Italy’s match against Israel was due to start at Stadio Friuli.

The match has been placed in the highest risk category despite a landmark ceasefire that halted two years of war in Gaza.

A pro-Palestinian march is expected to start in the city center a few hours before kick-off and is expected to draw around 10,000 people. It will be kept away from the stadium which is on the outskirts of the city.

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Many shops and restaurants have decided not to open on Tuesday and there are strict rules in place for those that do – including the removal of outdoor furniture or other items that could potentially be used as a weapon.

The Israeli team bus will be escorted to the stadium with maximum security and there will also be snipers on the roof of the arena, as well as a sizable police and military presence.

Italy also played Israel a year ago in Udine, which was chosen because of the relative difficulty of reaching the city in northeastern Italy, near the Slovenian border, and the ease of isolating the stadium, where roadblocks have been set up everywhere.

The area has been declared a ‘red zone’ and only fans with tickets can pass through the high metal barriers. Supporters are strongly advised to arrive early due to strict controls, which also require everyone to pass through metal detectors.

Just over 9,000 tickets have been sold for the qualifier at the 25,000-seat Stadio Friuli and there will likely be fewer people in the stadium than at the demonstration.

Last year there was also a pro-Palestine demonstration before the match, but it only attracted about 1,000 demonstrators.

Published on October 14, 2025