Ireland’s home match against Israel in the Nations League will be played behind closed doors in Serbia, the Football Association of Ireland confirmed on Monday.
The FAI had announced earlier this month that the October 4 match would be played at a neutral venue and has now confirmed the TSC Arena in Backa Topola, in Northern Serbia, as the host.
The venue change has been approved by UEFA, European football’s governing body.
The teams will also meet on September 27 in Debrecen, Hungary, for Israel’s “home” match.
ALSO READ: Iran leaves handwritten note after Egypt draw, says fair play is soul of football
There had been calls for Ireland to boycott the matches against Israel. At a recent home friendly against Qatar, Irish activists threw tennis balls onto the pitch in protest. The balls carried “Stop the Game” messages, referring to the Nations League fixtures against Israel.
Ireland’s federation has argued that boycotting the matches could damage its chances of qualifying for the 2028 European Championship, which Ireland is co-hosting with the United Kingdom.
The FAI added that it had previously called on UEFA to suspend the Israel Football Association from UEFA competitions in protest against Israel’s military action in Gaza.
Neither Ireland nor Israel qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
Published on Jun 29, 2026
