DUBLIN (AP) 鈥� Ireland fans throwing tennis balls onto the pitch in a pro-Palestinian protest 鈥渒ills the game,” national team coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said.
Irish activists who want the country’s soccer federation to boycott Nations League games against interrupted Ireland’s match against Qatar on Thursday by hurling tennis balls onto the field in the first half at Aviva Stadium.
Hallgrimsson said 鈥渆verybody has a right to protest鈥� but that there’s a downside, too.
鈥淚t just kills the game,” he said. “If they want to destroy the game for us, then so be it. Obviously, it鈥檚 not fun to see, especially for us who are trying to think about the football side.鈥�
The Icelandic coach reiterated that he opposes a boycott, arguing that from a sporting perspective it would only hurt Ireland and elevate Israel.
Ireland is scheduled to face Israel in an away game on Sept. 27 and at home on Oct. 4. Ireland’s soccer federation, the FAI, has said it would face 鈥渟erious consequences鈥� from governing body UEFA if it refused to play the games.
Banners at Thursday’s match read 鈥渟top the game鈥� and the tennis balls featured the Palestinian flag 鈥� all in protest of Israel’s . The Israel-Hamas war was sparked by the militant group鈥檚 attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Ireland won the friendly game 1-0. Qatar used the match as a warmup to its campaign. The Irish failed to qualify for the tournament.
Last October, Norway’s soccer federation pledged to from its World Cup qualifying game against Israel to aid work in Gaza, saying it 鈥渃annot remain indifferent鈥� to humanitarian suffering.
In the buildup to Thursday’s game, Hallgrimsson said the political debate is 鈥渦nfair for the players.鈥�
鈥淲e’re not the bad guys here. We just want to perform, we want to play,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he players would like to perform for the country and do well.鈥�
The Israel Football Association told The Associated Press in a statement Friday: 鈥淲e are not really interested in the hypocritical and biased debate that is taking place in Ireland between groups that are hostile or much more hostile to the idea called the state of Israel. Even if there are those among them who tell themselves a different story.
鈥淲e are dealing solely with the Irish Association, we really don鈥檛 care about anything else. Everyone can stop contacting us with questions about the two matches 鈥� we will come. And of course try our best to win. What the other side decides is less of a concern to us.鈥�
Ireland and Britain are co-hosting the . Nations League performance plays a role in Euro qualification process.
___
AP World Cup coverage:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
