The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has announced that the Republic of Ireland football team’s upcoming Nations League match against Israel will take place at a neutral venue without fans in attendance.
The match was originally scheduled for 4 October at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, but Uefa has given its approval for the fixture to be moved overseas upon the FAI’s request.
The teams are also set to play at neutral grounds for Israel’s home match in Group B3 a week prior.
In a statement, the FAI said, “After consulting with various stakeholders, the Association believes that operational challenges could affect the game’s execution on home soil, leading to the decision to relocate it away from the Aviva Stadium.”
The FAI expressed gratitude to An Garda Síochana (Irish police) for their guidance in recent months, emphasizing that the choice to move to a neutral venue was taken thoughtfully by the FAI Board with Uefa’s backing.
There have been increasing calls within Ireland to boycott the match due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The Republic of Ireland’s friendly against Qatar in May saw a disruption when protestors threw tennis balls with the Palestine flag onto the pitch at the Aviva Stadium, coinciding with the Irish Sport For Palestine’s “Stop the Game” campaign.