Why is the Republic of Ireland Facing Israel in Football Matches?

Before the UEFA Nations League draw in Brussels this February, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) anticipated challenges. Positioned in Pot 3 for the League B draw, Ireland knew one opponent from Pot 1 would bring significant political and logistical difficulties: Israel. The Republic of Ireland ended up in Group B3 alongside top seeds Israel, Austria, and Kosovo. Soon after, the FAI confirmed they would play both home and away matches against Israel, but neither would happen in Ireland or Israel.

Neutral Venues for the Matches

The away game against Israel took place on September 27 in Debrecen, Hungary. Their 'home' match against Israel was held behind closed doors on October 4 in Backa Topola, a small town in Serbia. These moves aimed to avoid political tensions by holding games far from either nation’s territory without spectators. Yet, this has not stopped debates about why Ireland is playing Israel at all.

Controversy and Reactions

Calls to boycott both fixtures have grown louder, especially given that an independent UN commission accused Israel of genocide in Gaza. This has made these two matches some of the most talked-about involving the Republic of Ireland in recent years.

"We're not playing with genocide, we're playing against genocide," said Ireland's head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson when discussing his players’ stance before the games. "We're playing against Israel, we're not playing with Israel."

The Israeli government denies these genocide accusations following their response to the October 7 attacks, which left about 1,200 people dead and 250 taken hostage by Hamas nearly three years ago. Since then, over 70,000 Palestinians have died in the Gaza conflict, according to UN data. The Israel Football Association responded by calling Hallgrimsson's remarks "stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy."

Protests and Public Response

Protesters gathered outside the Irish team’s hotel in Dublin as part of the “Stop the Game” campaign. The controversy echoes incidents like rapper Macklemore being dropped from Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour after supporting Palestine, showing how strongly people feel about the issue. Irish artists Aaron Rowe and folk band Beoga withdrew from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore, signaling that silence can be seen as taking a side.

Kevin Kilbane, who earned 110 caps for Ireland, criticized the decision to go ahead with the fixtures. Writing in the Irish Times, he said the choice to play Israel "will leave a stain on the FAI," adding that Ireland should not face Israel anywhere—neither in Dublin, Hungary, nor Serbia.

FAI's Position and UEFA's Role

The FAI wrote to UEFA's Executive Committee in November asking for Israel’s immediate suspension from competitions, but declined to boycott due to potential consequences. They warned that forfeiting points could hurt Ireland’s chances to qualify for Euro 2028, which Ireland will co-host, as well as future World Cups. UEFA and FIFA suspended Russia quickly after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, yet Israel continues competing despite ongoing conflict after October 7.

UEFA planned to vote on Israel's participation last year but paused after reports of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Despite the ceasefire, more than 1,300 Palestinians have died since, with both sides accusing each other of violations.

Other European Responses

No European country has refused to play Israel so far. Demonstrations took place in Oslo and Udine before Israel’s World Cup qualifiers in Norway and Italy, but those nations didn’t risk forfeiting their matches. Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Federation, stated, "A boycott would only result in Israel going to the World Cup instead of us."

The FAI requested UEFA to separate Ireland and Israel in future draws, but the request was denied. UEFA explained decisions about avoiding certain matchups consider multiple factors, including security risks, and are handled case by case.

Security Measures and Broadcast Adjustments

UEFA approved moving Ireland's home game against Israel away from Dublin for safety reasons. No tickets were available for Irish fans traveling to the Hungary away game either. Ireland’s public broadcaster RTE opted for limited coverage: no studio shows or pundits, just commentary from the international feed. Still, despite empty stadiums and minimal broadcast presence, the matches remain highly charged events back home.

Summary of Group B3 Teams

• Group: B3
• Teams: Republic of Ireland, Israel, Austria, Kosovo
• Home Venue for Ireland vs Israel: Backa Topola, Serbia
• Away Venue for Ireland vs Israel: Debrecen, Hungary
• Match Dates: 27 September (away), 4 October (home)