UEFA has rejected a request from the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to keep Ireland and Israel apart in future competition draws, citing the absence of a history of direct conflict between the two countries.

Axar.az reports, citing The Irish Times, that FAI chief executive David Courell said UEFA told him such a separation would not be possible because Ireland and Israel had never been in direct conflict.

UEFA keeps certain countries apart in draws on political grounds, including Spain and Gibraltar, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Ukraine and Russia. Some teams are also separated when one country does not recognize another’s independence.

The FAI is proceeding with Nations League matches against Israel on September 27 and October 4 despite pressure for a boycott. Ireland’s home fixture will be played behind closed doors in Backa Topola, Serbia.

Courell said the FAI would fulfill UEFA’s mandatory match protocols but would scale back other elements surrounding the fixtures. He said the association would not host Israeli Football Association officials at a pre-match dinner and would remove sponsors’ branding from the stadium where possible.