Ireland to face Israel as boycott pressure mounts

The Republic of Ireland will play Israel in two UEFA Nations League fixtures at neutral venues later this month and in early October, amid growing protests in Ireland and a public dispute between the two countries' football associations over comments about the war in Gaza. Ireland will face Israel in Debrecen, Hungary on September 27, followed by a home fixture relocated to Bačka Topola, Serbia on October 4, which will be played behind closed doors. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) confirmed shortly after the February draw that it would fulfil both fixtures, neither of which will take place in Ireland or Israel. The controversy intensified after Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said at a squad announcement on September 18 that his players were "not playing with genocide, we're playing against genocide" and were "playing against Israel, we're not playing with Israel." The Israel Football Association (IFA) responded on September 21, calling the remarks an example of "stupidity, ignorance, and hypocrisy" and stating it had not found a cure for those qualities. It has been reported that the IFA may file an official complaint to UEFA about the comments.