UEFA Rejects Irish Request to Separate National Teams From Israel in Draws

UEFA announced on Saturday that decisions to separate national teams in tournament draws are made on a case-by-case basis, primarily guided by security considerations. This statement followed the Football Association of Ireland's (FAI) confirmation that its request to avoid future matches with Israel had been denied.

FAI CEO Jonathan Hill had stated on Friday that the association had asked UEFA to separate the Republic of Ireland from Israel in future draws after they were placed in the same group for the Nations League draw in February. The two teams are scheduled to play each other on September 27 and October 4 as part of the competition.

UEFA clarified that it reviews requests to prevent specific teams from being drawn together individually. "Decisions to avoid placing certain teams in the same group are taken considering various factors, particularly the prevailing circumstances between the countries that lead to inherent security risks," the statement read. "UEFA deals with each case with extreme care on its own merits, monitoring all facts and developments."

Hill told reporters that the FAI was informed such arrangements were not possible because Ireland and Israel "have never been in direct conflict." The Football Association of Israel responded to Hill's remarks, questioning whether the FAI had submitted a formal request to UEFA. "The question should be directed to UEFA: was there an official inquiry or request regarding this matter, or is this just another statement of no consequence?" said Shlomi Barzel, head of communications for the Israeli FA. "As we have long stopped reacting to statements detached from reality, we are focused on high-quality professional preparations to achieve our goals on the field."

The upcoming matches have sparked controversy in Ireland amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Last November, FAI members voted overwhelmingly for the board to ask UEFA to ban Israel from European competitions, and prominent Irish footballers and celebrities joined a campaign in May to boycott Ireland's home match against Israel in the Nations League. The match scheduled for Ireland at home on October 4 will be played without spectators in Backa Topola, Serbia, instead of Dublin, while Irish fans will not receive tickets for Israel's home match in Debrecen, Hungary.