Women’s World Cup Qualifiers: Scotland play a double-header with Israel behind closed doors in Hungary

After the Republic of Ireland men’s team were drawn to play Israel in the Nations League this autumn, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) asked UEFA about what the sanctions would be for refusing to fill the fixture.

They were told that they could potentially be disqualified, so they chose to play the match.

Subsequently, former international winger James McClean accused the FAI of not having a “backbone”.

The Scottish FA did not respond to fresh requests for comment on their decision to play the match.

But in a statement issued to the BBC in November, they said that “refusal to play would void both matches and negatively affect the prospects of our women’s national team”.

They added: “The Scottish FA is acutely aware of the suffering and devastation experienced in Gaza.

“We are not detached from the emotional weight of that reality, and not exempt from the moral urgency expressed by supporters, campaigners and wider civil society who communicated after the draw against Israel.

“At the same time, we are a national organization governed by the membership of FIFA and UEFA and are bound by their laws.

“Member associations don’t have unilateral discretion over who they will or won’t play against, so we are obliged to fill our fixtures.”