The Group 8 opener was due to take place in Tbilisi, but the Irish football authorities asked FIFA to move the game due to security concerns after war broke out between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia.
"Although the Georgian Football Federation (GFF) had hoped to host this match at home in Tbilisi, it will now be played in Mainz, Germany on the originally-scheduled date of September 6, 2008 with Georgia acting as the host association," a FIFA statement read.
"Last week, FIFA had asked the GFF to name an alternative venue for this match in order to be prepared should the situation in Georgia still require a neutral venue," the statement continued.
Group 8 also includes Italy, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Montenegro. Russia are in Group 4, with Germany, Finland, Wales, Azerbaijan and Lichtenstein.
The recent conflict between Russia and Georgia began when Georgian forces attacked the capital of South Ossetia on August 8 in an attempt to regain control of the separatist republic.
