Republic of Ireland confirm Israel game will go ahead

What the report says

The Republic of Ireland have confirmed that Sunday’s Uefa Nations League B3 match against Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, will go ahead, ending a period of uncertainty around the fixture. BBC Sport reported that the game had been in doubt on Saturday morning, with a scheduled pre-match news conference delayed and the team’s planned training session also pushed back while players remained at their hotel.

According to the report, the players met privately and there were unconfirmed suggestions that some, including goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, wanted to withdraw from the match. The situation led to speculation that the fixture might be called off, before officials later said the news conference would proceed and training would follow at Nagyerdei Stadion.

In the end, Football Association of Ireland chief executive David Courell, alongside manager Heimir Hallgrimsson and the FAI director of football, said a players’ vote had passed by a significant majority in favour of playing. The development matters because it resolves immediate uncertainty around a high-profile international match being held in Hungary, where Ireland are taking part in the Nations League group stage. More broadly, the report reflects the heightened sensitivity around fixtures involving Israel, although BBC Sport did not detail any formal cancellation request or disciplinary action.