The Nations League draw in Brussels on Thursday evening could land the Republic of Ireland in a group containing Israel.
Last November, the FAI’s general assembly voted 74-7 in favour of a motion to Uefa calling for the “immediate suspension” of the Israel Football Association from European club and international competitions.
The FAI motion, proposed by Bohemians, noted “the organisation of clubs in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association, [is] in breach of Fifa statutes (Article 73) and Uefa statutes (Article 5)” and the highlighted the “failure” of the Israeli association “to implement and enforce an effective antiracism policy”.
However, on the same day the motion passed, FAI president Paul Cooke said Ireland would fulfil any fixture with Israel if drawn against them in a Uefa-sanctioned competition.
Responding to the FAI in December, Uefa said the situation was being “closely monitored” and pointed out that no international or European club matches are taking place in Israel “until further notice” due to safety and security concerns.
Israel’s “home” qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup were held in the Hungarian city of Debrecen.
Hungary, Scotland and Poland are the other potential top-seed opposition Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side could be drawn against in League B when the Nations League returns in September.
Hallgrímsson will attend the draw, which takes place at 5pm on Thursday, in Brussels following Uefa’s annual congress.
Ireland are ranked 27th by Uefa, which puts them in Pot 3 in League B draw alongside Slovenia, Georgia and Romania.
The second seed will come from Pot 2, containing Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria and Ukraine, with the fourth seeds being Sweden, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland and Kosovo. Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot be drawn in the same group as Kosovo for historical reasons.
Uefa have condensed the international fixture list to six matches, three at home and three away, between September 24th and November 17th.
League A
Pot 1: Portugal, Spain, France, Germany.
Pot 2: Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia.
Pot 3: Serbia, Belgium, England, Norway.
Pot 4: Wales, Czech Republic, Greece, Turkey
League B
Pot 1: Scotland, Hungary, Poland, Israel
Pot 2: Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Ukraine
Pot 3: Slovenia, Georgia, Republic of Ireland, Romania
Pot 4: Sweden, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Kosovo
League C
Pot 1: Iceland, Albania, Montenegro, Kazakhstan
Pot 2: Finland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Armenia
Pot 3: Belarus, Faroe Islands, Cyprus, Estonia
Pot 4: Latvia or Gibraltar, Luxembourg or Malta, Moldova, San Marino
League D
Pot 1: Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Gibraltar or Latvia, Malta or Luxembourg
Pot 2: Liechtenstein, Andorra
Matchday 1: September 24th-26th
Matchday 2: September 27th-29th
Matchday 3: September 30th-October 3rd
Matchday 4: October 4th-6th
Matchday 5: November 12th-14th
Matchday 6: November 15th-17th