The Nations League will be the center of attention in football in the coming weeks. Elite matches for League A. Italy will face Belgium, Turkey and France, but the program will also include matches of a very high level, such as the Netherlands-Germany and England-Spain.
Albania will debut in League C, however, matches from other leagues will also take place, including Israel-Ireland, which has caused controversy even before it started.
Ireland coach and strong words against Israel
Ireland and Israel will face each other on Sunday, September 27, for the second match of the tournament. The match will be played in Hungary. Speaking ahead of the match, Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, who is Icelandic, used very strong words on the eve of the match with Israel, saying: “I have already said, we are not playing with genocide, we are playing against genocide. So we are playing against Israel. We are not playing with Israel.”
Hallgrimsson's reference is clear and relates to the conflict with Palestine. He also spoke about the change in the treatment of Russia, which was banned from international football after the start of the war with Ukraine.
"We still haven't found the cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy"
Israel's response was swift and certainly not mild. On Monday evening, the Israel Football Federation issued a scathing message to Hallgrimsson, who was not even mentioned by name: "We have contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields, winning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes along the way. Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for the stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy shown by the coach of the Republic of Ireland."
We have contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields, earning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes along the way. Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed by @IrelandFootball team coach. We're not playing with…
— ISRAEL FA (@ISRAELFA) September 21, 2026
And it doesn't end there. The Israeli Football Federation seems ready to denounce coach Hallgrimsson for these statements. In short, even more fuel on the fire before the match on September 27, which will be immediately followed by another match. Because the return match, valid for the fourth week, between Ireland and Israel, will take place in early October.
