Hallgrimsson admits his Israel remarks were ill‑judged as federation lashes out
Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said he is "grateful for the support" after the Israel Football Association accused him of "ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity" and he admitted his pre‑match comments were "maybe not clever from me".
Controversial remarks and federation backlash
Hallgrimsson told reporters over the weekend that the Republic of Ireland would be "playing against genocide" in their UEFA Nations League double‑header against Israel, sparking calls in Ireland to boycott the fixtures scheduled at neutral venues.
The Israel FA responded on Monday with a social‑media post stating, "We’re not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, we’re playing against the coach who embodies them".
Political and diplomatic reactions
Irish Taoiseach Michael Martin described the Israel FA’s reply as "unacceptable" and urged its withdrawal while speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
Martin added that United Nations Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres had highlighted the unprecedented scale of death and destruction caused by the Israeli government’s war on Gaza, and that Hallgrimsson was echoing that sentiment.
The Republic of Ireland will travel to Hungary for the away leg on Sunday and will host the return match in Serbia on 4 October, after the Football Association of Ireland requested the games be moved from Dublin for security reasons.
Hallgrimsson said the media focus on his comments detracted from the importance of the upcoming clash with Kosovo, insisting the team must stay focused on the football.
Protesters gathered outside the Irish team hotel in Dublin on Monday night as part of the "Stop the Game" campaign, while former international Kevin Kilbane criticised the FAI’s decision to play, warning of a "profound impact on the whole of Irish football".
The FAI warned that refusing to face Israel could jeopardise qualification for Euro 2028, which Ireland will co‑host, and for future World Cups. A July vote of FAI delegates saw 75 members support playing the matches against 32 who favoured a boycott.
In November the FAI wrote to UEFA asking for the immediate suspension of the Israel FA and later requested that the two nations be kept apart in future draws; UEFA rejected the request, noting the countries have never been in direct conflict.