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Heimir Hallgrimsson, the Republic of Ireland manager, alleged that Israel attempted to intimidate his players during a tense 1-1 Nations League draw in Serbia. The incident occurred at TSC Arena, where the Irish team was followed by an allegation of spitting on Damien Doyle, the head of athletic performance for the Republic of Ireland.

Hallgrimsson stated that he did not witness the spat and emphasized that the incident may be reviewed like all other events between the two teams. He maintained that his players remained composed despite the tense atmosphere, attributing their calmness to the fact that they could have faced yellow and red cards. Israel manager Ran Ben-Shimon claimed he was unaware of the half-time confrontation, stating that he only spoke with his staff in the dressing room.

The situation arose after Hallgrimsson's pre-match press conference was abruptly ended due to a confrontation with an Israeli journalist over allegations of racist remarks made by Irish players during their previous match in Hungary, which Ireland won 3-0. The FAI investigated the claims, and Crowley, the FAI communications manager, dismissed them as untrue.

The match between Ireland and Israel was politically charged, with pressure group Irish Sport for Palestine staging protests against Ireland participating in the games due to the Israel-Gaza conflict.