Uncertainty remains over the venue for Northern Ireland’s home game against Belarus next month but all parties are working towards the fixture being played in Belfast as planned.
Belarus are scheduled to travel to face Northern Ireland at Windsor Park in a UEFA Nations League League C Group 3 fixture on November 15.
The doubt over the fixture centres around Belarus’ inclusion in the UK’s sanctions against Russia due to its government’s diplomatic support of the invasion of Ukraine since 2022, despite widespread international condemnation. Belarus has allowed its territory to be used by the Russian army to launch attacks into northern Ukraine.
Russia was banned from competing in UEFA and FIFA competitions after invading Ukraine. Belarus was not banned by either body but due to UEFA sanctions, the nation is not allowed to host international matches or competitions.
While the British government has offered guidance against representative teams from Belarus being granted permission to play in the UK, this remains informal and would not necessarily inhibit their national side from participating.
A spokesperson for the Home Office told The Athletic: “There are no visa rules preventing the Belarusian team from being able to travel to play the game pending standard immigration checks.”
Due to UEFA sanctions, Belarus have played all three of their Nations League home matches behind closed doors in the Hungarian city of Zalaegerszeg — including this month’s goalless draw against Northern Ireland. They have previously played home matches in the Serbian city of Novi Sad and the Hungarian capital Budapest.
Speaking after their home victory over Bulgaria in September, Northern Ireland head coach Michael O’Neill spoke against the idea of the Belarus fixture potentially being moved.
“It’ll be unfair on us if we’re not allowed (to play at Windsor Park), really,” he told BBC Sport. “We’ll end up with four away games, two of them at a neutral venue which is far from ideal.”
Northern Ireland defeated Bulgaria 5-0 in Belfast in their October Nations League match (Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
In October 2022, UEFA said it was “constantly monitoring the situation” in Belarus and could yet take “further decisions” against the eastern European nation after troops from the country were deployed with Russian forces near Ukraine.
The Home Office spokesperson added that while the UK government has issued guidance stating that “only neutral individual Russian and Belarusian sportspersons should be able to compete in international sport”, such advice remained “informal”.
The government is “clear that there should be no Russian or Belarusian state representation in international sport” but would not enforce such a position on individual sports.
The spokesperson added: “We recognise the independence and autonomy of sports bodies. Decisions on participation in international sports events are a matter for the relevant international sport federations, and the national representatives to those federations.”
In this case, the relevant international body is UEFA, European football’s governing body, and the Irish Football Association (IFA).
In a statement to The Athletic, UEFA confirmed that the Belarus visa requests had been lodged and that it was waiting a decision from the relevant authorities. “If the visas are not granted then Northern Ireland will have to propose an alternative venue,” the statement added.
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The Irish Football Association (IFA) — the governing body of football in Northern Ireland which organises the national team — is awaiting the final decision on the Belarusian visas being granted but, as things stand, is planning for the match to be staged in Belfast as planned.
The Belarus FA has said that it is a “tricky situation” but the team “are ready to play the match regardless of the venue.”
While moving the game from Belfast to a neutral venue would theoretically hand a sporting disadvantage to Northern Ireland, Belarus insist their preference is for the game is to be played in the original venue: “Everyone says it is always better to play in a full stadium rather than behind closed doors.”
Northern Ireland are top of their Nations League group with seven points from their four matches, including a five-goal home victory over Bulgaria last week. Belarus are second in the group with six points, ahead of Bulgaria (five) and Luxembourg (two).
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(Top photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)