Ireland’s 2–2 Nations League draw with Austria at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on 1 October 2026 was interrupted twice in the first half: first by tennis balls marked with Palestinian flags and “#StopTheGame”, then by a spectator who ran onto the pitch carrying what appeared to be a Palestinian flag. The demonstrations were linked to opposition to Ireland’s scheduled Nations League fixtures against Israel.
What happened during Ireland’s match with Austria?
Around the 19th minute, spectators threw tennis balls onto the pitch. They bore Palestinian flag stickers and “#StopTheGame” text, and the referee paused play while they were cleared. The Irish Times reported that about 30 balls were thrown and that some spectators booed. The Guardian and AFP also reported the incident.
Around the 35th minute, a spectator entered the field carrying what appeared to be a Palestinian flag. Security tackled and removed the person. This was a separate interruption from the tennis-ball protest: one involved objects thrown from the stands, the other a person entering the playing area.
How the match finished
Ireland led 2–0 at half-time after Troy Parrott scored in the 12th minute and converted a penalty just before the break. Austria came back in the second half: Alexander Prass scored in the 71st minute, and Michael Gregoritsch equalised six minutes later. The match ended 2–2. It was a 2026–27 UEFA Nations League Group B3 match, in a group also containing Israel and Kosovo.
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Why the protests were linked to Ireland’s games against Israel
The demonstrations took place amid opposition to Ireland’s scheduled Nations League fixtures against Israel. The Stop the Game campaign described the tennis-ball action as deliberately limited and as an act of solidarity with Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu. Reporting on the action also connected the wider campaign to calls for Ireland to boycott the Israel fixtures.
AFP quoted protester Joanne Doyle, a primary school teacher, saying: “I strongly object to these two games against Israel going ahead, because basically it is sports-washing a genocide, sports are political.” Those are Doyle’s stated views; the terms “sports-washing” and “genocide” are her political characterisation, not an independently established finding.
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What the FAI said about the Israel fixture
The Football Association of Ireland said the home fixture against Israel scheduled for 4 October 2026 would instead be played at a neutral venue in Serbia and behind closed doors. The FAI cited operational challenges to staging the match in Ireland. It also said competition rules could result in Ireland forfeiting the match and facing further sporting consequences if it refused to play. These were the association’s stated reasons for proceeding with the fixture at a neutral venue, rather than cancelling it.
After the Austria match, Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrímsson said: “you are never happy with this (protests), but understand it and respect it”.
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