Ireland may face Israel in Middle East as UEFA lift home ban

THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND may have to travel to the Middle East for their World Cup qualifier against Israel.

UEFA yesterday announced that the ban on home matches for the country has been lifted. The UEFA Executive Committee meeting, in Limassol, Cyprus, which was attended by FAI chief executive Fran Rooney, confirmed the end of the suspension, with immediate effect.

However, UEFA have decided that matches can only be played in the city of Tel Aviv and also stated that it might re-impose a ban on any match in Israel at any given time if, in its opinion, the security situation should deteriorate.