Ireland press conference in Backa Topola halted after racism question

Ireland's press conference ahead of its UEFA Nations League match with Israel in Backa Topola, Serbia, on October 3, 2026, was cut short when a journalist asked coach Heimir Hallgrimsson about alleged racist remarks by Irish players in last week's meeting between the teams. The incident occurred as the sides prepared to face each other again on October 4 in a fixture being held without spectators.

The two nations met last Sunday (September 27, 2026) in Debrecen, Hungary, where Ireland won 3-0; the match followed a players' vote on whether to proceed amid strong opposition in Ireland to Israel's actions in Gaza. The Republic's squad wore black armbands in Debrecen, and the Football Association of Ireland has been investigating whether forward Adam Idah was racially abused during that game. A small number of Israel supporters attended the Hungary fixture.

During the October 3 press conference in Backa Topola, an Israeli journalist alleged that Irish players had made racist comments in the previous match; Football Association of Ireland communications manager Kieran Crowley responded: "That's completely untrue." The press conference was ended shortly after Crowley's rebuke, while Hallgrimsson was present for the media session.

The October 4 Nations League game is being staged in Backa Topola with no fans in attendance after the FAI moved the fixture to a neutral venue in June for "operational reasons," a decision taken amid widespread calls in Ireland for a boycott. The FAI's relocation of the match separated the teams from playing on Irish soil for the scheduled meeting.

The FAI previously passed a motion in November calling on UEFA to ban Israel from club and international competitions. At the same time, the association has resisted calls for a full boycott of matches involving Israel, arguing the team could face sanctions from UEFA if it pursued such action.

Separately, Ireland's recent Nations League schedule has been disrupted by protest activity: on Thursday a home match against Austria in Dublin was briefly interrupted by demonstrators who threw tennis balls bearing Palestinian flags onto the pitch.

Ireland, listed as the "home" team for the October 4 fixture, will play Israel in Backa Topola on Sunday with the match taking place behind closed doors as arranged by the FAI.