🔗 Share this article

Ireland's football governing body has given the green light to present a formal motion to Uefa, calling for the banning of Israel from continental team and national competitions.

Grounds for the Proposed Ban

The resolution, that had been put forward by Dublin club Bohemians, highlighted alleged breaches by the IFA of two key European football regulations.

• Failure to implement and enforce an effective anti-racism policy.
• Establishment of football teams in occupied Palestinian territories without the consent of the Palestrian FA.

Ballot Results and Future Actions

According to an official statement from the FAI, the resolution was supported by 74 votes, with seven against and 2 abstentions.

The association intends to formally submit this motion to the UEFA's decision-making body, seeking the immediate suspension of the Israel Football Association from European tournaments.

In an extraordinary general meeting of the Football Association of Ireland, an ordinary resolution was put to delegates. It was approved by a majority.

Earlier European Considerations

Uefa had earlier put on hold intentions to ban Israel at the end of September, following the announcement of Donald Trump's proposed peace plan for the region.

Although they never officially confirmed contemplating an extraordinary meeting on the matter, preparations were understood to be well developed.

International Backdrop

The FAI resolution comes after comparable calls in last autumn from the heads of Turkish and Norwegian governing bodies for banning Israel from global football.

These appeals were issued after UN specialists urged world and European football bodies to ban Israel, referencing a UN investigation that accused Israel of acts of genocide during the war in Gaza.

The Israeli government has rejected these claims and labeled the findings as outrageous.

Potential Ramifications

If Uefa choose to ban Israel, it would probably strain relations with the US administration – joint hosts for the 2026 World Cup – which is firmly against such an action.

Even though Uefa has the authority to suspend Israeli teams from its tournaments, it might not be able to stop them from competing in qualification for the World Cup, which is governed by Fifa.