Ireland will be aiming to recover from their opening UEFA Nations League loss to Kosovo when they take on Israel at the Nagyerdei Stadion on Sunday.
The Republic of Ireland comes into this game hoping to find greater consistency under head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson. Their Nations League campaign began with a disappointing 1–0 defeat to Kosovo on Thursday, with the decisive goal arriving in the 83rd minute. Before that result, Ireland experienced mixed fortunes in their 2026 international friendly matches. They drew 1–1 with Canada, secured a narrow 1–0 victory over Qatar, and produced an impressive 5–0 win against Grenada. They will now be looking for a stronger attacking display in this fixture.
Ireland team news
Ireland’s team news has been overshadowed by significant off-field developments and political tensions surrounding the match. The squad reportedly held an emergency four-hour meeting after facing considerable pressure from supporters and people in Ireland to boycott the fixture.
In the end, a clear majority of the players voted to play, avoiding the possibility of serious sporting and financial penalties from UEFA. However, the decision was not unanimous. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu subsequently withdrew from the squad after making it clear that he was uncomfortable with taking part in the match.
Following the situation, FAI Chief Executive David Courell confirmed that Irish players will wear black armbands during the game to remember all those who have lost their lives in the Gaza conflict.
The squad also intends to avoid certain parts of the usual pre-match procedures. In addition, the players and staff have significantly reduced their media commitments for the rest of the international break.
On the playing side, there are no further injury concerns or suspension issues within the squad ahead of the match. Hallgrímsson is expected to select a strong team and could name an unchanged starting XI from the side that faced Kosovo in their previous game.
Ireland predicted lineup
Possible starting XI: Kelleher; O’Brien, Abankwah, Egan, O’Shea, Manning; Molumby, Knight; Azaz, Ogbene; Parrott
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 7:45pm BST on Sunday, 27th September.
How to watch Israel vs Ireland?
UK viewers can watch the Israel vs. Republic of Ireland fixture live tonight on Amazon Prime Video through its Pay-Per-View (PPV) service.
Read Also – Norway vs Portugal – Match preview and team news
See More – Israel vs Ireland – Match preview and team news