The Republic of Ireland will kick off their 2026 UEFA Nations League campaign with back-to-back away fixtures against Kosovo and Israel after being drawn in Group B3 alongside Austria.
Ireland’s opening match will see the Boys in Green travel to face Kosovo on Thursday, 24 September, before completing an away double-header against Israel on Sunday, 27 September. Since October 2023, Israel have staged their home fixtures in Budapest, though the Israeli FA has expressed confidence that upcoming Nations League games will take place in Israel.
The first home outing for Ireland comes on Thursday, 1 October, when Austria visit Dublin. That will be followed by a meeting with Israel at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday, 4 October. The group stage will conclude in November, with Ireland travelling to Austria on Saturday, 14 November, before hosting Kosovo on Tuesday, 17 November. All matches are scheduled to kick off at 7.45pm Irish time.
The draw has attracted significant attention due to Ireland’s pairing with Israel. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and national team manager Heimir Hallgrimsson have previously called for Israel to be suspended from international competition in light of the ongoing war in Gaza.
In 2025, members of the FAI General Assembly voted in favour of submitting a motion to the UEFA Executive Committee requesting the suspension of the Israel Football Association for an alleged breach of UEFA statutes. The FAI confirmed that the motion was formally submitted to UEFA in November 2025 and that discussions have since taken place with European football’s governing body.
However, following the Nations League draw, the FAI confirmed that the Ireland men’s national team will fulfil their fixtures against Israel. In a statement, the association acknowledged that UEFA regulations stipulate that any refusal to play a scheduled match would result in forfeiture and could lead to further disciplinary action, including potential disqualification from the competition.
An Israeli FA spokesperson welcomed the draw, stating that their focus remains solely on football matters. The spokesperson added that the association has no concerns about travelling to Dublin for the away fixture and reiterated hopes that Israel’s home games will be staged on home soil.
Ireland’s campaign now promises competitive tests both on and off the pitch as they aim to progress from Group B3.