According to reports, Heimir Hallgrímsson expressed his support for Palestine before the match against Israel in the Nations League. The Irish coach also claimed that he did not use the correct phrase when asked about his next opponent in a pre-match press conference, saying it was a "very strong word" that he should not have used. Hallgrímsson stated that "nobody is comfortable" with the match between Ireland and Israel in the Nations League, due to the significant pressure and support for Palestine in Europe.
The Irish team's banner before a match in Dublin read "Red card for Israel", highlighting the tension and support for Palestine within the team. Hallgrímsson asserted that "We don't play with genocide, we play against genocide. We play against Israel, not with Israel", and that none of his players feel comfortable with these matches.
The next encounter between the two teams is scheduled for 4 October and will take place in Serbia behind closed doors, as decided by the FAI in July.