The Northern Ireland Football Association (IFA) has failed in its efforts to prevent players born in the six counties from declaring to play with the Republic of Ireland.
The issue has long been a thorny and controversial one, going all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, where the ruling has fallen against the IFA.
Earlier this year, Daniel Kearns, released by West Ham last season, became the latest Northern Ireland player to declare for the Republic, following in the footsteps of Manchester United's Darron Gibson, as well as Portsmouth's Marc Wilson and Everton's Shane Duffy.
The IFA has said it is "disappointed" by the ruling but will not make a full comment until after the Court has outlined its details reasons for making the ruling. IFA president Raymond Kennedy also wished Kearns all the best in his future playing career.
Fifa rules allow players to change nationality once before they play a senior competitive match if they were born "on the territory of the relevant association", and the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 allows for anyone born in Northern Ireland to claim either British or Irish nationality.
The IFA feels this places them at a unique disadvantage and have argued for a change in rule to stop players, some of whom have no ancestry in the Republic, from switching their allegiance. However, to no avail.