UEFA has confirmed that all of September's Nations League games will be played behind closed doors.
It means that Stephen Kenny's first two games in charge of the Republic of Ireland will be bereft of fans.
However, UEFA is set to use September 24's Super Cup as a pilot event for allowing a restricted number of supporters attend a match.
European football's governing body held a videoconference on Wednesday involving the 55 general secretaries of its member associations.
The main item on the agenda was the gradual return of fans to stadiums across Europe.
Ireland's first two UEFA Nations League games come away to Bulgaria (September 3), and at home to Finland (September 6).
The Bulgarian top flight resumed in June, allowing some fans into stadiums once they only occupied every third seat.
Earlier this month, the new season resumed with 1,000 fans allowed per sector, with those fans required to adhere to 1.5m social distancing.
However, the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia will be empty when Ireland visit next month.
UEFA told its stakeholders on Wednesday, "It would be too early to already allow fans into the upcoming UEFA national team competitions matches to be played at the beginning of September and that test match(es) should take place to study precisely the impact of spectators on current medical protocols."
September 24's meeting of the Champions League and Europa League winners in Budapest has been suggested as one of those 'test matches'.
They added, "The issue of quarantine for players was also discussed, in particular for national team matches where players coming from foreign clubs might be at risk of quarantine measures upon their return to their country of residence.
"Associations would also have the option to ask for a match to be moved to a neutral venue if current domestic conditions could put the staging of the match in jeopardy."
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