Republic of Ireland will play second Israel game - Hallgrimsson

Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson confirmed the team will fulfil its second UEFA Nations League fixture against Israel, despite calls to withdraw because of the ongoing Israel‑Gaza conflict. Hallgrimsson said the side’s 3‑0 victory over Israel in Hungary on Sunday came after players voted to honour the fixture. He noted that the ‘Stop The Game’ campaign, organised by Irish Sport for Palestine, had issued an open letter urging the Republic of Ireland to pull out of the behind‑closed‑doors match scheduled for Serbia. Speaking ahead of Thursday’s Nations League encounter with Austria in Dublin, Hallgrimsson stated that the Football Association of Ireland has affirmed the team will play both games and that he is unaware of any squad meeting to reconsider the Israel fixture. “The FAI (Football Association of Ireland) has said we are playing some games. That was our volition erstwhile we came into the campy and it is inactive our intention,” said Hallgrimsson. “We are trying to absorption connected the football. It is already decided we volition fulfil the games.” Regarding possible protests during the Austria match, Hallgrimsson added: “I indispensable absorption connected football. I volition fto others deliberation astir information and those things.” “We are playing Austria, the highest-ranked squad successful the group. I'm not going to let extracurricular sound to impact maine focusing connected football.” Earlier on Saturday, uncertainty surrounded the first Israel game after the Republic of Ireland’s pre‑match quality league was postponed because of a squad meeting. When the quality league resumed more than five hours ahead of the original schedule, FAI chief executive David Courell said a players’ ballot on whether to play the fixture passed by a “significant majority.” During that match, the Irish players did not take part in pre‑match formalities, wore black armbands and bowed their heads during Israel’s national anthem. The Republic of Ireland’s most recent home game—a friendly versus Qatar in May—was interrupted when fans threw tennis balls bearing the Palestine emblem onto the pitch.