Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson has urged Uefa to prevent future matchups between Ireland and Israel following two contentious fixtures between the sides. The latest encounter, held on Sunday at the TSC Arena in Backa Topola, Serbia, ended in a 1-1 draw, played behind closed doors amid heightened tensions.
Hallgrímsson described the pair of matches as particularly challenging for his team, calling for a cooling-off period and reflection. While he declined to comment on a halftime altercation—in which a member of Ireland’s backroom staff alleged being spat at by an Israeli player—Hallgrímsson suggested such incidents are best handled by disciplinary authorities. “It’s easy to see who was trying to kick you,” he said, alluding to the on-field hostility.
When asked whether Ireland should face Israel in the future, Hallgrímsson said the decision rests with Uefa and expressed hope that no national team would endure the difficulties his team had faced. “Uefa needs to step in and do something,” he added.
The Israel Football Association (IFA) denied the spitting allegation, stating no spitting had occurred and reaffirming its desire to play Ireland in Dublin for Euro 2028.
Sunday’s Group B3 qualifier saw Ireland take the lead through a first-half penalty converted by Troy Parrott, who now has 10 goals across his past seven competitive internationals. The penalty was awarded following a challenge on Jimmy Dunne, confirmed after a lengthy VAR review. Israel equalized two minutes after the restart through Dor Peretz, who capitalized on a deflection to score past Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher, who captained the side in the absence of Dara O’Shea. O’Shea was excused from the match after the birth of his child.
The match was originally scheduled to take place in Dublin but was relocated to neutral ground due to operational concerns amid public calls for a boycott over Israel’s actions in Gaza. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) had previously moved to express opposition to Israel’s participation in European competitions.
Both teams wore black armbands in memory of those killed in the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Ireland’s players also bowed their heads during the Israeli national anthem. In a further sign of the tense atmosphere, Kelleher declined to shake hands with Israel captain Peretz before the match, mirroring a similar gesture by O’Shea against Israeli forward Manor Solomon in their earlier meeting in Debrecen, Hungary, which Ireland won 3-0.
Other notable squad details included the return of Israel forward Sayed Abu Farchi following suspension, and Finn Azaz, with Israeli heritage, among Ireland’s substitutes.
The intensity between the teams was evident beyond the scoreline, with officials intervening in multiple altercations during and after the match, including a tunnel confrontation at halftime and further disputes following the final whistle. The unfolding situation leaves questions about the future of fixtures between the Republic of Ireland and Israel under Uefa’s governance.