UEFA has launched a disciplinary investigation into an alleged spitting incident during the Republic of Ireland’s Nations League match against Israel in Serbia.
The inquiry follows a confrontation at half-time in Sunday’s 1-1 draw in Backa Topola, where players and staff from both sides became involved in a dispute. Republic of Ireland head of athletic performance Damien Doyle reportedly alleged that an Israeli player spat at him during the incident.
Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson later confirmed that a spitting allegation had been made.
European football’s governing body said on Tuesday that an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector had been appointed after officials reviewed reports from the match. The investigation will examine possible misconduct involving one or more players during the Nations League fixture played on 4 October 2026.
The match had already been surrounded by heightened tension before kick-off. Ireland and Israel were drawn together in Group B3 in February, prompting calls for the Football Association of Ireland to withdraw from the fixtures because of the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.
Irish Sport for Palestine, through its Stop The Game campaign, organised demonstrations before and during Ireland’s earlier match against Austria in Dublin.
The FAI ultimately decided to play both scheduled fixtures, despite the boycott pressure. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu made himself unavailable for the two matches.
Relations between the Ireland and Israel teams deteriorated further during Sunday’s game, with another confrontation taking place after the final whistle.
Hallgrimsson said afterwards that Ireland felt Israel had attempted to unsettle his team from the beginning of the match. He praised his players for maintaining discipline in a contest that could otherwise have produced significantly more cards.
Israel coach Ran Ben-Shimon said he had been in the dressing-room area with his staff during the half-time confrontation and had not witnessed what happened.
The political sensitivity surrounding the fixtures was also visible in the pre-match arrangements. The teams did not take part in the usual formalities before either game, while Republic of Ireland players bowed their heads during the Israeli national anthem.
UEFA’s disciplinary investigation will now determine whether any individual misconduct charges should follow.