Heimir Hallgrímsson, the head coach of the Republic of Ireland national football team, has publicly called upon both the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to bar Israel from participating in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Hallgrímsson’s demand draws parallels to the existing bans imposed on Russia and Belarus from international competitions.
The Irish coach expressed significant concern about a potential scenario where his team, if they fail to qualify directly, might face Israel in the subsequent playoff rounds for a World Cup spot. This possibility, he indicated, would present considerable discomfort and ethical dilemmas.
UEFA is scheduled to hold a vote this week to determine whether Israel will be allowed to continue in its international competitions. This decision comes in the wake of severe allegations from the United Nations’ Executive Committee, accusing Israel of committing acts of genocide in the Gaza region.
Currently, Israel occupies the third position in Group I of the European World Cup qualifiers. They trail behind strong contenders such as Norway, who lead the group with 15 points from five matches, and Italy, who are second with 9 points from four games. Israel is positioned ahead of Estonia and Moldova in their group.
Under the current qualification format for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Europe, the top team from each qualification group will automatically secure a place in the finals, set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Teams finishing second in their respective groups will proceed to a playoff stage to contend for additional qualification berths.
In contrast, the Republic of Ireland finds itself in a challenging position, languishing at the bottom of Group F. Their group includes formidable opponents such as Portugal, Armenia, and Hungary.
Coach Hallgrímsson conveyed his firm belief that both UEFA and FIFA should take decisive action to exclude Israel from all international football competitions. The 58-year-old coach reiterated his reluctance to potentially compete against Israel in the playoffs, should Ireland progress to that stage after the group phase.
Speaking to The Irish Times, Hallgrímsson stated, “I see no difference between FIFA and UEFA penalizing Russia but not Israel at the present time. I truly wish to see Israel removed from the competition. Would I face difficulties if they wanted us to play against Israel in the next round, or if they were in our group? Of course, I would say no problem, but sad events would unfold in that match. If FIFA and UEFA prohibit a country based on similar issues, it would be nothing strange.”
Providing context to the situation, the Gaza Ministry of Health reports that approximately 60,000 people have died in the Gaza conflict since 2023, including over 17,000 children. Israel asserts its actions are targeted strikes against the extremist group Hamas.
However, according to reports from The Guardian, European football’s governing body, UEFA, is reportedly seeking ways to circumvent a complete ban on Israel from the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, even if a suspension were to be approved later this week.
