Israel dominates Ireland agenda, putting Hallgrímsson in doubt
Six seconds of silence set the tone as Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson faced a press briefing dominated by the Israel issue, with the FAI yet to clarify possible sanctions for boycotting games. The session, held on 18 September 2026, lasted roughly nine minutes and left reporters waiting six seconds before any question was asked.
Press briefing dominated by Israel
Hallgrímsson told the room he had spoken to each player individually to gauge the “different strength of opinions” on playing Israel. “Hopefully I can do as much thinking and talking and focusing on the football side rather than all of those things,” he said, hoping to steer the conversation back to sport.
The usual talking points about striker Troy Parrott’s form at Real Betis and Nathan Collins’ five‑week injury absence were omitted. Seamus Coleman’s exclusion was explained, and Hallgrímsson added that if he cannot find a club for Coleman he would welcome him on the coaching staff, a comment that received only a brief follow‑up.
Euro 2028 seeding and security concerns
Hallgrímsson reminded reporters that finishing first or second in the Nations League group secures a favourable second‑seed for Euro 2028 qualifying, a tournament Ireland will co‑host. He warned, “It’s not my decision, but I think it’s dangerous not to play. We are hosting a Euros here. What if Israel is in our group in the Euros?”
The six‑second pause at the start of the Q&A was broken when an FAI media officer offered to “leave it if you want”, a moment that would not be the last interjection during the tense session.
FAI’s response and upcoming protests
Hallgrímsson, an Icelander, admitted discomfort discussing Israel and a boycott, noting his background differs from that of the Irish public. He said he was “really happy” that FAI director of football John Martin fronted the issue on Monday before chief executive David Courell addressed the media at Aviva Stadium on Friday.
Courell told the Indo Sport Podcast that he had spoken with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and that the FAI could not act “unilaterally” on a boycott, describing such a move as “ineffective” unless taken in unison. A Stop The Games protest is planned for the Aviva Stadium on the day of the Austria match on 1 October, and another protest is scheduled for the Israel fixture in Hungary on 27 September.
The FAI’s online portal lists sections such as Soccer, LOI, Rugby, Golf, Racing, Upgrade, League, Horse, Boxing, Motorsport, Athletics, NFL and NBA. Fans can also access Live Video Review Podcasts, Sport Extra, Football Family, See More Stories and the FAI Podcast for further coverage.