FAI petition for Israel ban but won't boycott any fixture
Paul Cooke FAI President at the FAI AGM at Carton House. Pic: James Lawlor, Inpho
Ireland have a 25% chance of drawing Israel in next year’s Nations League and the FAI have no plans to boycott the fixture.
Saturday’s AGM passed a motion on a majority 74/7 to request Uefa to ban Israeli international and club teams from all European competitions.
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson recently questioned why Israel were allowed to play internationals by Uefa and Fifa when the governing bodies were swift to ban Russia three years ago.
A UN Commission of Inquiry report found that said Israel had committed genocide during the war in Gaza and the motion highlighted two breaches of Uefa laws that Israel dispute.
Uefa have been reluctant to act despite speculation of impending sanctions. That a ceasefire was brokered too will likely mean it’s left to individual associations to engineer any desired form of protest when drawn to face Israel teams at any level.
The Turkish and Norwegian soccer governing bodies recently called for Israel to be suspended from international competition too.
Both Ireland and Israel are guaranteed to be League B of the next Uefa Nations League and the fact they’re in different pots ensures they’re potential opponents.
Should that be the case when the draw is made early in 2026, the FAI have no intention of taking a firm stance.
FAI President Paul Cooke informed his counterpart in the Israeli FA of the impending EGM result “out of respect” and was asked to state the association’s position.
“Straight off the bat, we would play them, provided it was part of a Uefa competition," Cooke replied when asked what would happen if Ireland drew Israel in future qualifiers.
"We are members of Uefa.
“As anyone who has listened to me knows, we are a members' organisation, we have been mandated by our members to take a certain action and will do that."
Daniel Lambert of Bohemians FC led the movement that progressed to the FAI making their feelings known.
"What was done today was the right thing to do, and I think it's great to see that it was such a majority in favour - a positive thing for the members of the FAI,” he said.
"We've asked the FAI to instruct the Uefa executive committee to take action against the Israeli FA under the statutes. They should be excluded from competitions, that's what we're hoping will happen.
"I think a wise and sensible move for the FAI as a next step will be linking in to like-minded associations."
Cooke’s colleague, chief executive David Courell, refused to be drawn on whether a coalition of federations would align to accelerate intervention.
"Each federation is absolutely entitled to adopt whatever position they see fit,” he said.
“I know that Turkey and Norway have made their position clear as we have over recent months as well. Now we're formalising it with Uefa, we'll see what comes next.
"Our Government has been very clear that it's a matter for each sporting body to consider. They have not been involved in any of the conversations."
Meanwhile, the FAI are adamant their cull of 60 employees isn’t being primarily driven by the financial pressures of servicing debt of almost €40m.
Because the call for voluntary leavers among the 255-workforce reached 42 by last week’s deadline, exceeding the target of 30, each will receive a €5,000 bonus on top of their four weeks’ pay per year of service. One of those weeks will be allowed to breach the €600 per week cap.
That still leaves the association requiring an additional 18 departees and rather than apply compulsory redundancies, which the Siptu union won’t accept, the attrition will come through 100 selected staff reapplying for fewer jobs. An exodus of underage team managers is anticipated.
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