Ireland’s home match against Israel in the Nations League will be played on a neutral ground

Ireland’s home match against Israel in the Nations League will be played at a neutral venue and behind closed doors, the Irish Football Federation confirmed on Friday.

The Football Association of Ireland, which has faced calls from pro-Palestinian activists for a boycott, said the October 4 match, originally scheduled for the Aviva Stadium in the Irish capital, posed «operational challenges».

During a recent home match against Qatar, Irish activists threw tennis balls onto the pitch in protest. The balls had ‘Stop the Game’ messages on them, referring to the Nations League matches against Israel.

The Irish federation confirmed it has received approval from UEFA to reschedule the October match. No location has been announced. The teams also meet on September 27 at a neutral site for Israel’s “home match.”

“After consultation with various stakeholders, the association believes that operational challenges may impact the delivery of the match on home soil, so the match will be played outside the Aviva Stadium,” the organizers said in a statement.

“The Association understands and respects the views of players and staff, supporters, its members, campaigners, members of the public and the Irish football community in relation to this match.”

The federation reiterated that boycotting the Games could damage Ireland’s chances of qualifying for the 2028 European Championship, which Ireland is co-hosting with Great Britain.

Forfeiting six points “could lead to relegation to League C in the UEFA Nations League and weaken our qualification potential for (the European Championship),” the report said.

The federation also said it is in close contact with the Palestinian Football Association, which said it expressed its appreciation “for the principled positions taken by the Football Association of Ireland in support of the rights of the Palestinian people and Palestinian athletes.”

The Irish federation added that it had previously called on UEFA to suspend the Israel Football Association from UEFA competitions – in protest against Israel’s military action in Gaza. The war between Israel and Hamas was sparked by the militant group’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Published on June 12, 2026