Israel push to host Ireland at home in Nations League
As the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) considers whether to keep the Nations League fixture against Israel on October 4th at the Aviva Stadium or move the game to a neutral venue outside the country, the Israel Football Association is lobbying Uefa to allow their international teams to return home.Despite playing home fixtures in Hungary since October 2023, Israel intend to host the Republic of Ireland on September 27th.“We have no concerns about arriving in Dublin,” said an Israel FA spokesman. “We certainly hope that the end of the war ... will allow the games to be returned to Israel as soon as possible. We’re hoping to welcome Ireland to a sea of blue and white in a packed stadium.”However, Uefa indicated on Monday that “due to the current security situation” international football is unlikely to take place in Israel this year. READ MOREEngland v Ireland: What time is kick-off and what TV channel is it on?Ken Early: Why football has boycotted Russia but not Israel – yetCiarán Kilkenny responds to Ger Brennan’s ‘creative tension’ in his 15th season for Dublin‘I know that you expect me to ask you to stop riding’: Jockey Alan O’Sullivan, a year after the death of his brother“I wouldn’t be happy sending Irish teams or our supporters over to Israel,” said Bernard O’Byrne, the former chief executive of the FAI and Basketball Ireland. “Only Israel would benefit from that decision.”The FAI, with the support of the Government, intends to fulfil both fixtures. If Ireland decide against playing Israel, a ban from European competitions could follow, with Israel awarded a 3-0 win. “I think the FAI are right to go ahead with the games,” said O’Byrne. “But with a strong protest.“Who is hurt by a boycott? It will certainly not be Israel. It will not benefit Palestine. It will hurt Ireland and Irish supporters as we’ll be thrown out of the Nations League and get a substantial fine.”O’Byrne resigned from the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) Europe board last month, citing the “rejection” of his proposal to suspend Israel from European basketball.Bernard O’Byrne, former chief executive of the FAI, says Ireland should play the Israel matches under protest. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho “It will be much more relevant to play the matches under protest,” O’Byrne continued. “Make it clearly known to Israel that they are not welcome. Do not recognise their national anthem.“The people who should be holding their heads in shame are Uefa, Fifa and Fiba in basketball. They have folded to substantial Israeli lobbying, which I know is going on in the background in basketball.“When I proposed the expulsion of Israel to the Fiba Europe board, there were 25 nations sitting around the table, a lot of them friends of mine who privately agreed with me, but not one of them supported it. Afterwards, they told me they were directed by their federations and their governments not to support my motion.“Russia were suspended within four days [of invading Ukraine in 2022]. Four years into this we have done nothing with Israel. It is an abomination.”Fifa imposed a blanket ban on Russian football after Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic refused to play them in World Cup qualifiers.“I can’t see a domino effect if Ireland refuse to play Israel,” O’Byrne added. “I think Uefa would throw the kitchen sink at us to put off other countries from doing the same.”[ Ireland v Israel match should proceed in Dublin, says Minister of StateOpens in new window ]In 2025, Ireland fulfilled a women’s basketball international against Israel at a neutral venue. In 2024, Belgium versus Israel was moved to Hungary, and behind closed doors, after several Belgian cities expressed security concerns.There is disquiet among factions of the FAI general assembly with how the FAI president, Paul Cooke, dealt with a motion to Uefa last November that called for the suspension of Israeli clubs and international sides on grounds that they are in violation of two Uefa statues.The first concerned six Israeli clubs operating on occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank, and the second highlighted the Israel FA’s “failure to implement and enforce” an effective anti-racism policy.After the motion passed 74-7, Cooke immediately stated at a press conference that Ireland would fulfil any Uefa-sanctioned fixtures against Israel. The FAI reiterated this position after the Nations League draw in Brussels last week.“In protest, we should not fulfil the fixtures against Israel at any venue,” said Stuart Gilhooly, a lawyer for the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland (PFAI) and a member of the FAI general assembly. “That view is backed by the PFAI management committee, who represent domestic players.[ Ken Early: Why football has boycotted Russia but not Israel – yetOpens in new window ]“There are ongoing discussions among the three bodies – the PFAI, Bohemians and the supporters – that brought the original motion to an EGM last year. “Following the motion being passed, the [FAI] letter to Uefa was utterly meaningless,” said Gilhooly. “Uefa knew not to take it seriously, and they didn’t. You have to have leverage by making people believe that you are going to actually do something. It was not done in a proper manner.”A second motion on Israel is expected from the general assembly before the venues are confirmed in June.
