Ireland vs Israel Nations League match will go ahead, coach confirms

What the report says

Ireland’s men’s football team will go ahead with its second Nations League match against Israel, coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said in Dublin, despite public opposition in Ireland and a boycott by goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu. The Football Association of Ireland has said the squad will fulfil both fixtures, and Hallgrimsson said the team’s focus remains on football.

Al Jazeera reported that Ireland already played Israel 3-0 in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sunday after a difficult build-up. That match came after Bazunu withdrew and amid controversy over conduct by some Israeli supporters, including racist abuse aimed at Ireland forward Adam Idah and chants referencing the Israeli military. The report said UEFA has not taken disciplinary action over the crowd behaviour.

Ireland’s upcoming home match against Israel is scheduled for Backa Topola, Serbia, and will be played behind closed doors. The team will also face Austria in Dublin before that fixture. According to the report, Ireland players wore black armbands in the earlier match to mark lives lost in Gaza, and Hallgrimsson said they would do the same again for the second game and bow their heads during the Israeli anthem.

The broader context is that sport has become entangled with the war in Gaza, prompting protests, withdrawals and debate over whether fixtures should proceed as planned.