Ireland’s soccer governing body, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), has stated that they have “no choice” but to fulfill their Nations League fixtures against Israel, despite calls for a boycott. The decision comes after the FAI had previously requested that Israel be expelled from UEFA competitions due to alleged breaches of UEFA statutes, including the failure to implement an effective anti-racism policy and the involvement of Israeli clubs in occupied Palestinian territories.
FAI chief executive David Courell explained that the association is obligated to play the matches to avoid disciplinary measures, including potential disqualification from the competition. The games are scheduled to take place in September and October, with the home fixture set to be held in Dublin on October 4.
