The Football Association of Ireland has confirmed Ireland’s Uefa Nations League fixture against Israel on October 4th has been moved from Dublin to Bačka Topola in Serbia.

While the FAI initially planned to host Israel in Dublin, they decided to move the game to a neutral venue earlier this month, citing “operational challenges” in hosting the fixture.

Ireland’s most recent home game, a friendly against Qatar at the end of May, was interrupted by multiple tennis ball protests from a coalition group calling for the FAI to boycott the Israel fixtures entirely. The FAI have refused to boycott the games, saying doing so would have negative implications for Irish football, given it may lead to relegation from the Nations League and a consequential loss of Fifa ranking points.

The FAI has now alighted on the 4,500-capacity TSC Arena in Bačka Topola as host of the fixture. The game will be held behind closed doors and the kick-off time has yet to be confirmed. Bačka Topola is a small town of approximately 23,000 people in the north of Serbia, and the TSC Arena is home to FK TSC, who were relegated last season to the second tier of Serbian football.

This means both of Ireland’s fixtures against Israel will be played in neutral venues, with Ireland’s ‘away’ game against Israel fixed for the Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sunday, September 27th.

Season ticket holders will be updated regarding compensation in due course.

The FAI say the hosting of the game in Serbia “follows a decision taken by the FAI board to move the fixture to a neutral territory due to operational challenges that could impact on the delivery of the game on home soil.”

The FAI have, meanwhile, convened an Emergency General Meeting of its General Assembly for Wednesday, July 8th, at which members will vote on a motion relating to the playing of the fixtures to be put forward by the FAI board. The FAI has yet to publish the wording of their motion, though the Irish Times understands this motion will not call for a boycott of the fixtures.

An earlier motion submitted by members of the Assembly calling for a boycott of the games against Israel was deemed invalid by the FAI, as it did not receive letters of support from 10 per cent of the Association’s membership, as mandated under the FAI’s rules.

2026-27 Uefa Nations League Fixtures

Thursday, September 24th: Kosovo v Ireland, Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri, Pristina, 7.45pm

Sunday, September 27th: Israel v Ireland, Nagyerdei Stadion, Debrecen (Hungary), 7.45pm

Thursday, October 1st: Ireland v Austria, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, 7.45pm

Sunday, October 4th: Ireland v Israel, TSC Arena, Bačka Topola (Serbia), TBC

Saturday, November 14th: Austria v Ireland, Raiffeisen Arena, Linz, 7.45pm

Tuesday, November 17th: Ireland v Kosovo, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, 7.45pm