# Uefa investigates Israel-Ireland spat

> Uefa probes claim Israeli player spat at Ireland coach during Nations League match.
- Title: Uefa investigates Israel-Ireland spat · the Guardian
- Summary: Uefa probes claim Israeli player spat at Ireland coach during Nations League match. Uefa launched an investigation after reports of an Israeli player…
- Keywords: uefa, ireland, israel, nations league, football, spat, coaching staff, sports, investigates, Israel-Ireland, the Guardian
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/06/uefa-investigating-allegation-israel-player-spat-at-ireland-coach
- Published: 2026-10-06T10:09:51+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: uefa, ireland, israel, nations league, football, spat, coaching staff, sports
## Uefa investigation begins
Uefa has launched an investigation into claims a Republic of Ireland coaching staff member was spat at during the Nations League match in Serbia on Sunday.
## Allegation details
Witnesses reported hearing an Israeli player spit at Ireland's fitness coach Damian Doyle as teams went down the tunnel at half-time.
## Israeli FA denies
The Israeli Football Association denied reports that anyone spat towards the coach, stating no one had spat towards the coach.
## Ireland coach reaction
Ireland's coach Heimir Hallgrímsson said his team avoided provocation but felt the players were targeted to intimidate them.
## Uefa response
Uefa stated decisions to keep Ireland and Israel apart in future draws consider security risks between the countries.
## Geopolitical tension
The incident escalated tensions after Ireland faced pressure to boycott matches and Israeli journalists were banned from press conferences.
## Key takeaway

Uefa launched an investigation after reports of an Israeli player spitting at Ireland's fitness coach in a Nations League match in Serbia.