The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) will proceed with the Republic of Ireland’s UEFA Nations League fixtures against Israel after members voted last night to endorse the board’s decision at an Extraordinary General Meeting.
Delegates voted 75 to 32 in favour of the motion, with three abstentions, meaning 68 per cent backed the Association’s decision to fulfil the fixtures scheduled for the autumn.
The motion, put before members by the FAI board, acknowledged the strength of feeling regarding support for Palestine and the upcoming UEFA Men’s Nations League fixtures, but said members recognised “the profound impact that any non-fulfilment of UEFA fixtures would have on Irish football as a whole and on its future development” and accordingly endorsed the Association fulfilling its obligations in respect of those fixtures.
The vote means Ireland will play Israel in the scheduled away fixture in Debrecen, Hungary, on September 27 before the return home fixture, which will be staged in Backa Topola, Serbia, on October 4.
In a statement issued after the vote, the FAI board thanked members of its General Assembly for endorsing its decision.
The statement said: “While acknowledging the strength of feeling regarding support for Palestine and the upcoming UEFA Men’s Nations League fixtures, the members recognise the profound impact that any non-fulfilment of UEFA fixtures would have on Irish football as a whole and on its future development, and accordingly endorses the Association fulfilling its obligations in respect of those fixtures.”
The FAI said it understood and respected the views expressed by its members, players and staff, supporters, campaigners, members of the public and the wider Irish football community in relation to the Nations League fixtures between Ireland and Israel.
It added: “The Association will continue to liaise with various stakeholders and support the Ireland squad for its upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign.”