In brief
UEFA appointed an ethics and disciplinary inspector on 6 October 2026 following reports of an altercation at halftime during the 1-1 draw in Bačka Topola.
Ireland athletic performance director Damien Doyle alleged an Israeli player spat at him at halftime, and Israel midfielder Oscar Gloukh was restrained by teammates at full-time.
Irish captains Dara O'Shea on 27 September and Caoimhín Kelleher on 4 October declined handshakes with Israeli captains Manor Solomon and Dor Peretz.
- June 2026FAI moves home fixture from Dublin to neutral Serbia following boycott calls
- 27 SeptIreland defeats Israel 3-0 in Debrecen amid silent anthem protests
- 4 OctTeams draw 1-1 in Backa Topola with halftime tunnel clash and spitting allegation
- 6 OctUEFA appoints disciplinary inspector to investigate official match reports
UEFA opens disciplinary investigation
UEFA appointed an ethics and disciplinary inspector on 6 October 2026 to review reports of an altercation during the Nations League fixture between Ireland and Israel. The match, played on 4 October 2026 at a neutral venue in Bačka Topola, Serbia, ended in a 1-1 draw. European football's governing body confirmed that official match reports detailed an alleged incident inside or near the stadium tunnel during the halftime interval. The inquiry focuses on potential misconduct by one or more players during the match.
Tunnel altercation and spitting allegation
The investigation follows a claim from Ireland athletic performance director Damien Doyle, who stated that an Israel player spat at him as the squads left the pitch at halftime. Irish manager Heimir Hallgrimsson confirmed that a confrontation occurred near the tunnel. The Israel Football Association denied the spitting accusation, while Israel coach Ran Ben-Shimon stated that he did not see the incident. Tensions continued after the final whistle, when Israel player Oscar Gloukh had to be restrained by his teammates. The Football Association of Ireland also initiated an internal review into alleged racist abuse directed by Israeli supporters during the fixture.
Hallgrimsson addressed reporters regarding the tunnel confrontation following the match.
“Yes, I was there, but I don't want to comment. It's an issue that will probably be examined by the disciplinary committee.”
Pre-match protests and press conference clash
The fixture in Serbia followed tensions stemming from the conflict in Gaza. During the reverse fixture in Debrecen, Hungary, on 27 September 2026, Ireland won 3-0 while Irish players bowed their heads during the Israel national anthem and refused pre-match handshakes or pennant exchanges. In that match, captain Dara O'Shea declined to shake hands with Israel captain Manor Solomon. In Bačka Topola, stand-in captain Caoimhín Kelleher, leading the team while O'Shea attended the birth of his child, similarly avoided shaking hands with Israel captain Dor Peretz. Both sides wore black armbands, with Ireland commemorating victims in Gaza and Israel commemorating victims of the 7 October 2023 attacks. Ahead of the second match, Ireland communications officer Kieran Crowley ended a press conference after an Israeli reporter asked about alleged racial slurs during the first meeting, which Crowley dismissed as a lie.
Venue relocation and group standings
The match had originally been scheduled to take place in Dublin, but the Football Association of Ireland relocated the fixture to Serbia in June 2026 for operational reasons after facing calls to boycott the match. The Irish governing body chose not to forfeit the games to prevent disciplinary sanctions from UEFA, as Ireland is scheduled to co-host the 2028 European Championship alongside England, Scotland, and Wales. Following the 1-1 draw, Austria leads Group 3 of Division B with eight points after four rounds. Kosovo and Ireland sit level on five points each, while Israel occupies fourth place with two points.
- Austria
- 8 pts
- Kosovo
- 5 pts
- Ireland
- 5 pts
- Israel
- 2 pts
Data from the article text