Key facts
- The Israel Football Association (IFA) accused Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson of "stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy".
- The IFA cited Israel's "impressive number of Nobel Prizes" as evidence of its contributions to humanity.
- Hallgrimsson had stated, "We are not playing with genocide, we are playing against genocide."
- Over 160 Irish athletes signed an open letter urging the national team to refuse to play Israel.
- The FAI believes Israel should not be playing games due to UEFA statute breaches.
- Fifa fined the IFA $190,000 in March for bringing the game into disrepute.
The Israel Football Association (IFA) has publicly criticized Ireland's head coach, Heimir Hallgrimsson, labeling his remarks as "stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy." In a social media post on Monday night, the IFA contrasted these perceived negative traits with Israel's global contributions, highlighting its "impressive number of Nobel Prizes."
Hallgrimsson's comments came in response to a question about player focus during the upcoming Uefa Nations League campaign. He stated, "We are not playing with genocide, we are playing against genocide. We are playing against Israel; we are not playing with Israel."
International and European club games have not been held in Israel since October 2023 due to security concerns. The upcoming Nations League matches between Ireland and Israel are scheduled for September 27 and October 4, with Ireland's home game moved from Dublin to Serbia due to "operational challenges."
A campaign by the Irish Sport For Palestine group has been advocating for Ireland to boycott the matches. Over 160 high-level Irish athletes signed an open letter urging the national team to refuse participation. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has acknowledged that Israel should not be playing these games due to breaches of UEFA statutes, but stated the revenue from the matches is necessary.
In March, Fifa, the international football governing body, fined the IFA $190,000 for bringing the game into disrepute, but did not ban the association. One Israeli Nobel laureate, Aaron Ciechanover, commented in November 2024 that citizens seeking a free, liberal-democratic country were leaving Israel.