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  March 29, 2026

  Matan Segal Heads Kicking Racism Out of Israeli Soccer Program

  For many Israelis football (soccer) has never been just about the game itself. It’s about the community, the devotion, the sense of belonging one gets from identifying with a team. But the sport also breeds something darker than mere passion. “Soccer fans reflect the extreme of society where hate and racism blow up,” says Matan Segal, program manager of Kick It Out, an initiative that fights racism on and beyond the soccer field. “I started this job because I love football and I hate racism,” he says. Segal and forty volunteers attend soccer matches across the country, documenting incidents and producing periodic reports for the Ministry of Culture and Sports. “I truly believe that football can make peace,” Segal says. The sport may reflect the country’s darkest tendencies today, but it also has the potential to inspire a better future.