Micheal Martin defends the coach after criticism of Israel

In front of the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin reaffirmed his support for coach Heimir Hallgrímsson, who recently criticized Israel ahead of Ireland's match against the country in the Nations League.

The coach's remarks

Heimir Hallgrímsson, Icelandic and head of the Irish team, said last week: “We do not play with genocide, we play against genocide. We play against Israel, we do not play with Israel.” These words immediately sparked controversy.

The Israel Football Association responded on Monday, accusing Hallgrímsson of “stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy,” labeling his remarks as unacceptable.

Prime Minister Micheal Martin deemed these accusations “unacceptable” and demanded their withdrawal, reminding that “Israel cannot continue to deny what the world knows,” referring to the human losses in Gaza and Irish support for the Palestinian cause.

Reactions in Ireland

More than 160 athletes signed an open letter calling for a boycott of both fixtures, while protesters gathered outside the national team hotel in Dublin. Further demonstrations are planned across the country as the matches approach.

The Irish Football Federation (FAI) had adopted in November 2025 a motion asking UEFA to suspend Israel, but it received no support from European bodies.

The FAI clarified that it had little leeway and had to fulfill the two Nations League matches or face sporting and financial sanctions.

The home match scheduled for October 4 was moved to Backa Topola in Serbia for security reasons, while the September 27 fixture, officially Israel’s home game, will be played on neutral ground in Debrecen, Hungary.

These decisions illustrate Ireland’s firm stance in favor of Palestine and the growing difficulty of separating politics and sport in international competitions.