As Qatar prepares to host 23 international football teams and defend the Asia Cup trophy on home soil, one country that will not be playing the continental tournament that begins on January 12 will be Israel, TRT World reports.

Despite being geographically located in Asia, football’s governing body FIFA has not registered the country in FIFA’s Asian Football Confederation.

Instead, it is registered in the Europe region.

At the 1964 Asian Cup, many teams withdrew from the championship over their political disputes with both Israel and India. Taiwan — which used to play previously as the Republic of China — withdrew for logistical reasons.

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