James McClean has hit out at the Football Association of Ireland following a “disgusting, pathetic and insulting” error in their matchday programme.

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• Ireland's women's team in action against Wales
• Suffered agonising defeat in Euro 2025 play-off
• Official publication generated more controversy

• Table of Contents

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ireland’s women’s team were in Euro 2025 play-off action against Wales on December 3, with that contest taking place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin – as the visitors secured a 3-2 aggregate success. An official publication produced for the fixture has left ex-Republic of Ireland international McClean fuming.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Within the matchday programme was a map highlighting where all of the players in Eileen Gleeson’s squad hail from. The geographical image used included the listing of ‘Londonderry’, rather than ‘Derry’ – which is preferred by nationalists in Ireland.

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• WHAT MCCLEAN SAID

  McClean, who is fiercely proud and protective of his roots, has hit out at the error on social media. The Wrexham captain said in a post which included a picture of the map in question: “The match programme at last night’s Ireland vs Wales game at the Aviva Dublin…disgusting, pathetic, insulting, hang your heads in shame you shower of arseholes.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  The FAI has acknowledged the “error” and said in an apologetic statement: “The wrong graphic was inadvertently used in an Ireland Women’s National Team match programme, this was a genuine mistake and the Football Association of Ireland apologises for any offence caused.”

Tags: Futebol
Category: News