Oct 15,2024
Northern Ireland's Nations League match against Bulgaria on Tuesday night could yet prove to be their last home game of the year as doubts persist over whether next month’s fixture against Belarus will be played in Belfast.
Michael O’Neill’s side are due to face Belarus at Windsor Park on 15 November in the penultimate game of their League C Group 3 campaign.
The UK Government has issued informal neutrality guidance to national sporting bodies, stating that Russian and Belarusian athletes should only be able to compete in international sport as neutrals and not representing their country.
The guidance – raised as a topic before Saturday’s 'away’ match against Belarus which was played behind closed doors at a neutral venue in Hungary – allows sporting bodies to make their own decisions on individual events, and the UK Government recognised the difficult position the Irish FA was in.
But the situation becomes more complicated when it comes to next month’s fixture as the UK Government would need to issue entry visas to the Belarus team for them to play in Belfast.
Further discussions are due to take place later this week and a spokesperson for the Irish FA said: "The Irish Football Association is in contact with appropriate UEFA and government officials on this matter."
Speaking on Monday, O’Neill said: "It’s not in our control, the situation in November. We’ll just address that when it comes."
The manager had alluded to the situation when speaking after Saturday’s goalless draw in Zalaegerszeg.
"These games are always difficult," he said of the trip. "Logistically it was difficult, preparation was difficult, the stadium and everything, and we might have to deal with Belarus in the ‘home’ game in a similar fashion, but hopefully not."
