The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has voted to request that UEFA ban Israel from European club and international competitions, following a proposal from Dublin’s Bohemians Football Club.
At an extraordinary general meeting on Saturday, the FAI passed the resolution by a vote of 74 to 7, with two abstentions. The motion directs the governing body to submit a formal request to UEFA calling for the suspension of Israel from both international and club competitions in Europe. UEFA has not yet commented on the outcome.
According to RTÉ, Ireland’s national broadcaster, the FAI said it would “submit a formal motion to the UEFA executive committee requesting the immediate suspension of the Israel Football Association from UEFA competitions due to its violating two independent provisions of the UEFA statutes.”
The FAI cited two specific reasons: “organisation of clubs in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association, in breach of FIFA statutes (Article 73) and UEFA statutes (Article 5)”; and “the failure of the IFA to implement and enforce an effective anti-racism policy, in breach of UEFA statutes (Article 7bis).”
The motion echoes previous calls for accountability made by other football associations and human rights organisations. The Irish move adds another layer of pressure, amplifying growing concerns about governance and ethics in football’s regulatory bodies.
In September, football associations in Turkey and Norway issued similar calls for UEFA to take action against Israel. Those appeals followed a report by a United Nations commission of inquiry which accused Israel of committing genocide during its military campaign in Gaza. The report prompted UN experts to urge FIFA and UEFA to suspend Israel from international competition. Israel has rejected the allegations and described the UN report as “scandalous.”
The FAI’s decision could increase pressure on UEFA to take a formal stance. While UEFA has the authority to suspend a national association or its clubs, it does not have jurisdiction over World Cup qualifiers, which are managed by FIFA.
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UEFA had reportedly paused internal discussions about suspending Israel earlier in the year, following the announcement of Donald Trump’s peace plan, although those discussions were never publicly confirmed.
A UEFA decision to suspend Israel could provoke a sharp response from the United States — a close ally of Israel and a co-host of the 2026 World Cup. Any such action would test the boundaries of sport’s ability to remain separate from global politics.
Although UEFA has the authority to remove Israel from European tournaments, any move in that direction would likely face diplomatic and legal challenges. The broader implications for international football governance and political neutrality remain uncertain.
