Israel was permitted to accommodate a small number of its own supporters, while a handful of Irish fans were visible inside the stadium.
Members of the Irish team stand with their heads bowed at the bench as the Israeli national anthem is played before the Uefa Nations League group match between Israel and the Republic of Ireland in Debrecen, Hungary, on September 27, 2026 (Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images
The atmosphere was already tense during the warm-up, with a small group of Israeli supporters taunting the Irish players as they emerged, while the largely empty stadium meant the voices of players and coaches could be heard around the ground.
During the pre-match formalities, Ireland captain Dara O’Shea shook hands with the referee and his assistants but did not shake hands with Israeli captain Manor Solomon.
The two captains did not interact before or after the coin toss, with O’Shea keeping his hands behind his back as he approached the centre circle.
There was also no exchange of pennants between the teams and no traditional handshake between the players.
Israel had previously said it would offer to shake hands, while the Irish side had informed Uefa in advance that it would not take part in the customary greeting. The European governing body accepted the arrangement.
As Israel’s anthem was played, the Irish players lowered their heads and looked towards the ground.
All of the Irish players were also sporting black armbands, which FAI chief executive David Courell had said before the match would be worn “in recognition of all lives lost in the conflict” in Gaza.
Israel fans cheer prior to the Uefa Nations League group match between Israel and the Republic of Ireland in Debrecen, Hungary, on September 27, 2026 (Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images
Ireland needed only 14 minutes to take the lead, with Troy Parrott finishing the chance after James Abankwah helped create the opening, with Parrott celebrating by making a heart shape with his hands.
Two minutes later, Ireland doubled their advantage as Jack Moylan sent Adam Idah through, and the forward kept his composure to finish beyond the advancing Daniel Peretz.
Israel pressed back three minutes after Idah's goal and Caoimhin Kelleher made an important save to keep Ireland's two-goal advantage intact.
In the 25th minute, though, the ball fell to Moylan around 40 yards from goal. He drove forward down the inside-right channel before placing a low shot into the far corner to make it 3-0
Moylan removed his black armband, turned towards the Israeli supporters, kissed the armband and held it aloft, before kissing the Irish badge on his shirt.
Israel improved after the half-time break, and Kelleher was forced into further saves, denying Dor Peretz early in the second half before producing another fingertip stop to keep out a dipping effort from distance.
The game became more heated around the hour mark when Ireland's Idah and Israel's Raz Shlomo clashed, with both players receiving yellow cards. There were no further goals, however, and Ireland comfortably protected their three-goal lead.
The Irish and Israeli players again did not shake hands after the final whistle, maintaining the separation that had been established before kick-off.
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson said afterwards that the previous days had been extremely difficult for his squad. He defended his players' right to protest while saying he hoped the intense pressure surrounding them would ease.
“They have shown support to the protest; they have raised awareness worldwide,” Hallgrímsson said, arguing that the players' actions had brought international attention to the issue.
The result gives Ireland three points from their opening two Group B3 matches, following a 1-0 defeat by Kosovo.
Their attention now turns to Austria before Israel and Ireland meet again on October 4 in Bačka Topola, Serbia, where the return fixture is scheduled to be played behind closed doors.
