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Akbar Novruz

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The Israel Football Association (IFA) has accused Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson of “stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy” after he said his team would be “playing against genocide” in its upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Israel.

Ireland and Israel are due to meet twice in the Nations League, with the first fixture scheduled for September 27 at the Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, Hungary. The return match will take place in Bačka Topola, Serbia, on October 4, behind closed doors. Both fixtures were moved to neutral venues amid security and operational concerns.

Speaking after Ireland’s squad announcement, Hallgrímsson acknowledged the controversy surrounding the fixtures.

“None of us feel comfortable playing in these games,” he said.

Asked how his players could focus on the matches amid calls in Ireland to boycott the fixtures, Hallgrímsson said: “We’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel, we’re not playing with Israel.”

The IFA responded on social media on Monday, strongly criticizing the Irish coach.

“We have contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields, earning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes along the way. Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed by IrelandFootball team coach,” the IFA said.

“We’re not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, we’re playing against the coach who embodies them,” it added.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has not publicly responded to the IFA’s remarks.

The Israeli government has repeatedly rejected allegations that its military campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide. The war began after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, in which around 1,200 people were killed and about 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities and international reporting.

Meanwhile, pressure has been mounting in Ireland for the FAI to reconsider its decision to play Israel. More than 160 Irish sportspeople have signed an open letter issued by the Irish Sport for Palestine Group calling on the association to boycott the fixtures.

“This is a significant moment and with this moment you have an opportunity to do the right thing. Not playing the game would be the most sporting thing you could do,” the letter said.

Former Republic of Ireland international Kevin Kilbane has also called for the matches to be cancelled, writing that Ireland “should not be playing Israel” while accusing Israeli forces of committing genocide.

The FAI has previously said that refusing to play the fixtures could have significant consequences for Irish football. The association has argued that forfeiting Nations League points could affect Ireland’s qualification prospects for Euro 2028, which Ireland will co-host, as well as future competitions.

In November 2025, the FAI asked UEFA to suspend the Israel Football Association from European competitions. It has also sought to prevent Ireland and Israel from being drawn together in future competitions. UEFA said such decisions are assessed on a case-by-case basis, with security conditions among the factors considered, and that Ireland and Israel would not be separated because the countries have never been in direct conflict.

The controversy has continued to draw protests in Ireland, with demonstrators gathering outside the Irish team’s hotel in Dublin on Monday to call on the FAI to reverse its decision to proceed with the matches.