Irish governing body to vote on UEFA’s call to ban Israel

Irish football’s governing body will vote on Saturday on whether to submit a formal motion to UEFA calling for the immediate suspension of Israel from European competitions, according to an agenda of the meeting seen by Reuters.

The resolution, proposed and supported by some member clubs, cites the Israeli Football Association’s (IFA) alleged violation of two independent provisions of UEFA’s statutes, including organizing clubs in occupied Palestinian territories without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association.

The second breach concerns the IFA’s alleged failure to implement and enforce effective anti-racism policies. The motion would also call on UEFA to publish transparent criteria for the suspension or expulsion of member associations.

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The hopeful resolution will be adopted

A spokesperson for the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) confirmed the vote will take place. A UEFA spokesperson said it had no comment on the matter. The IFA could not be reached for comment.

The resolution was proposed by one of the country’s largest clubs, Bohemian FC.

“These are very serious violations, important rules that are being ignored,” Daniel Lambert, Bohemians’ chief operating officer, told Reuters. He said he hoped the resolution would be successful after lobbying other clubs.

UEFA considered holding a vote early last month on whether Israel would be excluded from European competitions because of the war in Gaza, a source told Reuters at the time. That did not happen after a US-brokered ceasefire came into effect on October 10.

United Nations experts called for Israel’s suspension from international football in September after a report by the UN Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocide during the war in Gaza.

The heads of the Turkish and Norwegian football governing bodies shortly afterwards called for Israel’s suspension from international competition.

Israel has denied committing genocide and called the report scandalous.

The Irish government has been one of the European Union’s most outspoken critics of the Israeli attack on Gaza. The country officially recognized a Palestinian state last year and is trying to restrict trade with Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.

The military assault on Gaza has killed more than 65,000 people and caused widespread destruction and hunger, according to local health authorities.

The conflict began after the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas militants, which killed 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

Published on November 7, 2025