Republic of Ireland’s match against Israel on October 4 will be held in Dublin, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has confirmed.
David Courell, the CEO of the FAI, said at a media briefing on Tuesday that the Gardai police force has pledged to “deliver a safe and secure environment” in which the Nations League match can be staged in the Irish capital.
FAI president Paul Cooke has sent a letter to members — which The Athletic has been informed is accurate — to say Irish football’s governing body aims to use the match to “provide tangible support for humanitarian efforts assisting civilians affected by the conflict” in the Middle East.
Courell added that the FAI had “no choice” but to fulfill its games against Israel, despite the association voting in November to submit a formal motion to UEFA, the governing body of European football, seeking to ban Israel from continental competition.
Irish outlet RTE reported that the FAI tabled a motion to its board members in November requesting the immediate suspension of Israel from international competition, citing breaches of UEFA statutes, which was passed with 74 votes in favour, seven against and two abstentions.
Immediately after the Nations League draw paired the nations together in Group B3, alongside Kosovo and Austria, the FAI cited the threat of “potential disqualification” if they do not play the matches against Israel.
“The Garda Siochana have been very clear that they are confident in their ability to deliver a safe and secure environment to facilitate the game to go ahead here,” Courell told a media event on Tuesday, when asked about the game being played in its Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
When contacted by The Athletic, the Gardai said it would not comment publicly on “operational matters” of specific events.
A Gardai spokesperson said: “As with any major event that takes place in the jurisdiction, An Garda Siochana will liaise with relevant stakeholders and an appropriate operational policing plan will be put in place for all events.”
Courell’s comments came after a letter from FAI president Cooke to general assembly members, in which he argued the association could not leave itself exposed to “severe sporting, financial and reputational sanctions” on any decision.
Cooke said the decision was “not taken lightly”. He added that forfeiting six points could lead to Nations League relegation to League C, damagingIreland’s seeding for Euro 2028 and its FIFA ranking. These outcomes, Cooke argued, “would materially harm the long-term sporting interests of Irish football”.
The letter from Cooke added: “The board also wishes to reiterate that no one within the Association is dismissive of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The suffering of civilians is deeply distressing, and the concerns expressed by members are grounded in genuine compassion and principle.
“While our role is to safeguard Irish football, we do not ignore the broader context in which these fixtures arise.
“We intend to use the home fixture as an opportunity to provide tangible support for humanitarian efforts assisting civilians affected by the conflict. Further details will be outlined closer to the match.”
PFA Ireland, the players’ union in the Republic of Ireland, conducted a survey of 214 players of professional Irish clubs, which showed 63 per cent believing Republic of Ireland should refuse to play Israel, 66 per cent answered that Dublin should not host Israel. When asked for “reasons for not attending”, 79 per cent answered “moral reasons” with a further 14 per cent highlighting “safety concerns”.
Israel’s ‘home’ game against the Republic of Ireland is scheduled for September 27 with the return fixture in Dublin, set for October 4. Israel has not hosted UEFA matches since October 2023 due to security issues, with the nation playing its scheduled home matches in Hungary since.