UEFA opens disciplinary investigation into spitting allegation from Ireland vs Israel Nations League clash

UEFA has opened a formal disciplinary investigation into an allegation of spitting made during the Republic of Ireland’s 1-1 Nations League draw with Israel in Backa Topola, Serbia on 4 October 2026, confirming that an ethics and disciplinary inspector has been appointed following a review of official match reports.

The allegation centres on Ireland’s head of athletic performance, Damien Doyle, who claims he was spat at by an Israel player as both teams walked down the tunnel at half-time. Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson confirmed the allegation had been made but said he did not witness the incident himself. Israel head coach Ran Ben-Shimon similarly said he was in his dressing room at the time and did not see anything.

In its official statement, UEFA said the investigation would examine “potential misconducts from player(s) on the occasion of the UEFA Nations League 2027 League Phase match between Republic of Ireland and Israel.”

The match was already one of the most politically charged fixtures in recent international football. Played behind closed doors at a neutral venue in Serbia due to security concerns, it was the second meeting between the two sides during the October international window. Ireland won the first fixture 3-0, but both games were overshadowed by the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which prompted widespread calls for a boycott. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu refused to feature in either match against Israel, Ireland’s players bowed their heads during the Israeli national anthem, and the squad declined to shake hands with their opponents before kick-off.

Hallgrimsson described the atmosphere across both fixtures as deeply tense. “It’s been like this these two games — it’s tense, it’s a lot of emotions,” he said after the draw. “I felt like they were trying to intimidate us from kick-off, but I give a lot of credit to the players to stay calm. It could have been a game of yellow and red cards, but we were composed.”

The Ireland manager also had a heated exchange with an Israeli journalist in his post-match press conference. Speaking to RTÉ Sport, Hallgrimsson went further, saying he did not believe the two nations should be drawn against each other again. “No, they shouldn’t — but that’s not ours to decide, that’s UEFA who decides that,” he said.

Ben-Shimon, for his part, said he would look into the spitting allegation once he had the opportunity to gather more information, but offered no further comment on the broader tensions surrounding the tie.