Ireland players in meeting with Heimir Hallgrímsson over whether to play Israel game

26 Sep 2026, 10:43 by David Sneyd · The42

An editorial note re: The 42’s reporting on the Uefa Nations League matches between Ireland and Israel is available to read here.

THE REPUBLIC OF Ireland men’s squad are currently in a meeting with manager Heimir Hallgrímsson regarding their position on whether to play against Israel in the Nations League.

The 42 understands that fulfilling the fixture is now in the balance as players continue discussions. As reported by the Irish Independent, Gavin Bazunu is one player who does not want to play the game, and The 42 understands that up to five of his teammates are also now wavering.

Players and team officials are in a meeting room at the team hotel in Debrecen.

Earlier this morning, the FAI announced a delay of over two hours to their pre-match conference ahead of the Israel game in Hungary.

More to follow…