DUBLIN (THE THURSDAY TIMES) — The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has voted overwhelmingly to urge UEFA to suspend the Israel Football Association (IFA) from all European competitions, citing violations of football statutes and human rights principles.
At an emergency general meeting held in Dublin on Saturday, delegates voted 74 in favour, with seven against and two abstaining, instructing the FAI’s board to formally request that UEFA’s executive committee impose an immediate suspension on Israel’s participation in European tournaments.
The Football Association of Ireland in Dublin overwhelmingly voted to urge UEFA to suspend the Israel Football Association over clubs operating in occupied Palestinian territories and its failure to enforce effective anti-racism policies. pic.twitter.com/MVRe5SnM88
— The Thursday Times (@thursday_times) November 9, 2025
According to the FAI’s resolution, the move responds to Israel’s “organisation of clubs in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association,” in violation of FIFA Statute Article 73 and UEFA Statute Article 5, as well as the IFA’s “failure to implement and enforce an effective anti-racism policy.”
The resolution, proposed by Dublin’s Bohemians FC, also called on UEFA to introduce “transparent criteria for the suspension or exclusion of member associations to ensure equal treatment of all members.” According to Bohemians’ chief operating officer, Dan Lambert, the motion could serve as a model for other European federations critical of Israel’s actions in the West Bank, including Norway.
In Washington, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham condemned the Irish vote, warning that Ireland would “pay a heavy price” for seeking to marginalise Israel. Writing on X, Graham accused Ireland and other nations of “punishing the Jewish people 80 years after the Holocaust” and defended Israel’s war in Gaza as an act of self-defence against Hamas.
It is my understanding Ireland is about to make a motion to the European body governing soccer to ban Israel from playing in European soccer tournaments.
Ireland and others would be punishing the Jewish people 80 years after the Holocaust because they choose to fight back…— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) November 8, 2025
The FAI’s motion follows the Turkish Football Federation’s call last month for Israel’s suspension, describing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as “inhumane and unacceptable.” The Irish move, however, marks the strongest rebuke yet by a Western European football body and increases pressure on UEFA to clarify its position on member associations accused of rights violations.
