RismadarVoice Reporters
September 22, 2026
Tensions have intensified ahead of two upcoming international matches between Ireland and Israel, with protests in Ireland and heated exchanges between officials and football authorities over the fixtures.
The matches, scheduled for Sunday and October 4, will be played at neutral venues after the Football Association of Ireland’s request for UEFA to suspend the Israel Football Association was rejected.
More than 160 Irish sports personalities have signed an open letter calling on the FAI to reconsider its decision to proceed with the matches. The campaign, led by the Irish Sport for Palestine Group, has also included demonstrations outside the Irish team’s hotel in Dublin.
Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said members of the squad were uncomfortable with the fixtures but would remain united once the decision to play had been made.
“Without going into individuals, we feel comfortable playing in these games but once we have decided to play them, we all stick together and play as one,” Hallgrimsson said.
Hallgrimsson, an Icelandic national, also sought to distinguish the team’s participation from the wider conflict, saying: “We’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel, we’re not playing with Israel.”
Israel has rejected allegations that it deliberately targeted civilians and has also disputed accusations, including those made by rights organisations, that its actions in Gaza constitute genocide. The International Court of Justice is separately considering a genocide case brought against Israel by South Africa.
The exchange became more heated after the Israel Football Association responded to Hallgrimsson’s comments on social media, accusing the Ireland coach of “stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy.”
The dispute comes amid the continuing political and humanitarian fallout from the Israel-Hamas war. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 73,821 Palestinians had been killed in the conflict as of the report, while local officials said more than 1,375 people had been killed in Israeli strikes since an October 2025 ceasefire took effect.
The FAI has defended its decision to participate, arguing that withdrawing could jeopardise Ireland’s prospects of qualifying for the 2028 European Championship, which it is scheduled to co-host with Britain. The association said a boycott could cause “significant and lasting harm.”
The first match will be played in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sunday, while Ireland’s return fixture on October 4 will take place behind closed doors in Bačka Topola, northern Serbia.
Ireland chose neutral venues because of what the FAI described as operational challenges associated with hosting the match in Dublin.
Israel has also been playing its home fixtures outside the country, frequently in Hungary, since October 2023. UEFA has barred Israel from hosting international matches in the country because of the war.
No tickets will be made available to Irish supporters for either match.
