UEFA defends draw policy after Ireland request, Israel dismisses FAI comments

On September 19, UEFA clarified its draw policy for national teams following a request from Ireland's soccer association. The request to avoid future pairings with Israel was rejected. FAI chief executive David Courell stated the association had asked UEFA to separate the two teams in competitions after they were paired in February's Nations League draw.

The two teams face each other on September 27 and October 4. UEFA, the European soccer governing body, explained that such requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, primarily considering security concerns. The Israel Football Association questioned whether an official inquiry had been made to UEFA, suggesting the statement may be premature.