People Weren’t Happy With FIFA’s Northern Ireland Graphic Earlier

Both international football teams on this island can be fairly happy with the World Cup play-off draw in Zurich earlier today.

The Republic were drawn against Denmark while their Northern Irish counterparts got plumped with Switzerland, both avoiding the relatively tougher tasks of facing Italy or Croatia next month for a place at Russia 2018.

However, a number of onlookers took issue with a graphic used to represent Northern Ireland ahead of the draw. FIFA listed each of the nations involved in the English language as well as their native tongue, but let's just say that football's governing body didn't exactly do its research.

The words 'Tuaisceart Éireann' appeared next to Northern Ireland and it didn't exactly go down well.

FIFA seem to be confused. Unsure why they would put a foreign language on the screen beside Northern Ireland. pic.twitter.com/16rzbmfV0n
— Jamie Bryson (@JamieBrysonCPNI) October 17, 2017

Beautiful or should I say go hálainn to see Northern Ireland translated into its native language by FIFA today pic.twitter.com/1dZv3beTLN
— Ed (@E_Diddy) October 17, 2017

cultural sensitivity FIFA style - every country introduced with name both in english and translated into the native tongue pic.twitter.com/Vf2Sve1WK6
— Ken Early (@kenearlys) October 17, 2017

FIFA showing their support for the Irish Language Act ???? #TuaisceartEireann pic.twitter.com/i5EMyffY0t
— David Dougan (@DaveDougan) October 17, 2017

We reckon they'll be more careful in the future.