Flying to the World Cup: Arkia Will Fly Israel’s National Football Team for the 2026 Qualifying Campaign
A Strategic Partnership: Arkia Becomes the Official Carrier of Israel’s National Football Team
Israeli airline Arkia has signed a sponsorship agreement with the Israel Football Association, under which it will fly the Israeli national team to the 2026 World Cup qualifying matches. The agreement, signed for a year or until the end of the campaign, marks a natural continuation of the fruitful cooperation between the two bodies, and gives the team logistical support and improved flight conditions.
The festive signing event took place at Arkia’s offices, in the presence of CEO Oz Berlowitz, IFA Chairman Shino Zuaretz, national team coach Ran Ben Shimon, senior IFA officials and Arkia executives.
Arkia Steps Up for Israeli Football
According to Oz Berlowitz, Arkia’s CEO:
“Arkia is proud to be the official carrier of Israel’s national team in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and to continue its partnership with the Football Association. As an Israeli company, we see great importance in supporting the national team and ensuring comfortable, professional flight conditions for the players and staff, so they can arrive ready for every match. We look forward to accompanying the team on its journey and being part of its success.”
Shino Zuaretz, IFA Chairman, also welcomed the partnership, saying:
“We’re happy to renew our partnership with Arkia, which continues to support the team and provide it with the best conditions for international matches. At a time when the team still isn’t hosting in Israel, it’s important for us to feel at home in the skies too.”
Where Is the Team Flying?
Under the agreement, Arkia will fly Israel’s national team to various destinations across Europe according to the match draw, including:
✈ Hungary
✈ Estonia (Tallinn)
✈ Norway (Oslo)
✈ Moldova (Chișinău)
✈ Germany or Italy
The first matches of the campaign will take place next month, in March, when the team meets Estonia and Norway in Hungary.
What Does the Agreement Include?
✔ Premium flight conditions tailored to the team
✔ Full professional and logistical support at every stage of travel
✔ Dedicated menus tailored to athletes’ nutrition
✔ Branding of Arkia aircraft with the Football Association logo
More Than Just Flights: Broad Advertising Presence at Home Matches
In addition to flying the team, Arkia will enjoy broad exposure at the team’s home matches:
📺 Electronic LED signage around the pitch
🎥 Commercials screened on the stadium’s giant screens
💻 A digital campaign on the Football Association’s website
✈ Official branding on company documents: “The official carrier of the 2026 World Cup football qualifiers”
Continuing a Long-Standing Partnership with the Association
The cooperation between Arkia and the national team isn’t new – the company served as the official carrier of Israel’s national teams during COVID in 2020, as well as in 2023 and 2024, and it now continues to support the team on its road to the 2026 World Cup.
Will the partnership with Arkia help the team qualify for the 2026 World Cup? Time will tell.
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