Story summary
On Saturday, during a pre-match news conference for the Republic of Ireland's UEFA Nations League match against Israel in Backa Topola, Serbia, tensions escalated when an Israeli journalist asked questions unrelated to football. The journalist inquired about alleged racist comments made by Irish players and the Flydubai flight incident involving a co-pilot attempting a terrorist act. This prompted Kieran Crowley, communications manager for the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), to intervene and deny the allegations, stating they were "completely untrue." The confrontational tone led the press conference to abruptly end.
The match was moved to Serbia due to security concerns in Ireland and follows the contentious first game where Irish players wore black armbands and did not shake hands with their Israeli counterparts. Previously, some Irish players had voted on whether to play the match amidst protests against Israel's actions in Gaza. The FAI faced calls for a boycott but resisted, fearing potential UEFA sanctions if they canceled.
The incident highlights ongoing political tensions between Ireland and Israel over the conflict in Gaza, with supporters of both sides expressing strong views about the games' implications.
Written for “Ireland vs Israel Nations League Cont…” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 15 other(s) covering the same event.
Ireland players again wore black armbands in recognition of Palestinians killed in Gaza and bowed their heads during the Israeli national anthem before the teams’ second UEFA Nations League football match on Sunday.
asserted
players → wear → Sunday
The League 3 Group B match ended in a 1-1 draw and, despite being played behind closed doors and on neutral ground, was once again played out in a confrontational manner.
asserted
match → end → manner
Recommended Stories
list of 4 items- list 1 of 4Man City’s Cavan Sullivan becomes youngest US international goalscorer
- list 2 of 4Man City whistleblower Pinto says he ‘received death threats’ over leaks
- list 3 of 4No
asserted
he → become → leaks
a delayed ceremony as India beat Pakistan at Asian Games
- list 4 of 4FC Barcelona accused of corruption in Negreira case: All you need to know
asserted
you → delay → case
Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher stepped in as captain for Dara O’Shea, who was excused to be with his wife for the birth of their child, and pointedly avoided shaking hands with Israel captain Dor Peretz, despite completing the usual pre-match formality with the referee and one of his assistants.
asserted
who → step → assistants
Kelleher’s action was a repeat of O’Shea’s, who refused to shake Israel captain Manor Solomon’s hand before the first match in Debrecen, Hungary, last week.
asserted
who → refuse → Debrecen
Ireland went on to win that game 3-0 through three first-half goals.
asserted
Ireland → go → goals
Solomon was dropped to the bench for Sunday’s match in Backa Topola, Serbia.
asserted
Solomon → drop → Topola
Israel forward Sayed Abu Farchi was back in the squad after serving a suspension for getting sent off following his gun-simulation goal celebration during Israel’s 3-1 defeat to Austria on September 25.
asserted
Farchi → serve → September
Finn Azaz, whose mother has Israeli heritage, was among the Irish substitutes after playing from the start against Austria on Thursday.
Troy Parrott’s penalty in the 39th minute, after a foul by Peretz on Jimmy Dunne, gave Ireland a 1-0 halftime lead.
asserted
penalty → have → lead
A disagreement also broke out on the sidelines as the players made their way off the field for the interval, although the referee quickly intervened.
asserted
referee → break → interval
Peretz secured a point for Israel with a poked effort from close range in the 47th minute.
asserted
Peretz → secure → minute
Sunday’s game was initially supposed to be played in Dublin, but the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) moved it to a neutral venue for “operational reasons” in June following widespread calls for a boycott in protest of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
asserted
Association → suppose → Gaza
The FAI said the game would be played with no fans present.
asserted
fans → say → ?
It followed the FAI’s motion the previous November calling on UEFA to ban Israel from club and international competitions.
asserted
It → follow → competitions
All the Irish players had been under pressure from home – where affinity with Palestinians is strong – to boycott the second match against Israel, though the pressure was greater during the first game.
“I felt that pressure growing day by day, and it’s getting almost to a breaking limit now,” Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said at the time.
asserted
Hallgrimsson → boycott → time
Ultimately, only reserve goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu decided to skip both of the contentious games, saying in a statement that it was his “personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong”.
asserted
killing → decide → people
More than 160 Irish sportspeople had signed an open letter urging the FAI to reconsider its decision to go ahead with the two games.
asserted
sportspeople → sign → games
Before the departure for Hungary, people protested outside the team hotel in Dublin for the players to boycott the matches.
asserted
players → protest → matches
The SIPTU trade union displayed a huge poster in central Dublin beside the River Liffey asking the players to “Go with your conscience!” and “Don’t play with genocide” beside an image of a blood-splattered ball.
asserted
union → display → ball
Former Ireland coach Brian Kerr said the FAI had “lost the respect of the Irish people” for going ahead with the games.
asserted
FAI → say → games
But the FAI argued UEFA could sanction the team.
uncertain
UEFA → argue → team
Ireland is cohosting the 2028 European Championship with England, Wales and Scotland.
asserted
Ireland → cohoste → England
Protesters threw tennis balls with Palestinian flags onto the field during Ireland’s 2-2 draw with Austria on Thursday.
asserted
Protesters → throw → Thursday
A man with a Palestinian flag also tried running onto the field.
asserted
man → try → field
On Saturday, an Israeli journalist stated during the pre-match news conference that the Irish players had called the Israeli players “monkeys” during last week’s game, leading to an immediate rebuke from Irish communications officer Kieran Crowley, who said it was “a lie” and ended the news conference.
asserted
it → state → conference
The players had only decided to go ahead with the fixtures after a dramatic day in Debrecen before the first match, when both the news conference and training were delayed for hours while they deliberated.
asserted
they → decide → hours
They reportedly voted 14-8 in favour of continuing after Bazunu’s withdrawal that morning.
uncertain
They → vote → withdrawal
Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ was only providing stripped-back coverage of both games against Israel to meet contractual obligations.
asserted
broadcaster → provide → obligations
RTÉ said it was not accepting advertising or sponsorship around either game.
asserted
it → say → game
RTÉ also recently announced that Ireland will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest for a second year due to Israel’s participation.
asserted
Ireland → announce → participation
The Aporia
