{
  "id": 10279260,
  "title": "Ireland, Israel players skip handshakes before Nations League game",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/ireland-israel-players-skip-handshakes-before-nations-league-game",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-27T19:50:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/ireland-israel-players-skip-handshakes-before-nations-league-game/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a controversial UEFA Nations League match between the Republic of Ireland and Israel, both teams chose not to exchange traditional handshakes before the game. This decision came amid the Israel-Gaza war, with the \"Stop The Game\" campaign urging the players not to participate. However, the Irish squad voted to play after a meeting at their hotel in Debrecen. Following the anthems, neither team engaged in the customary pre-match handshake. The Irish players wore black armbands in recognition of lives lost in the Gaza conflict. Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson acknowledged the challenging atmosphere and emphasized his priority was to protect the players while keeping them focused on the match.",
  "summary": "Republic of Ireland and Israel players did not exchange handshakes before their UEFA Nations League match in Hungary amid controversy over the Israel-Gaza Read More: https://punchng.com/ireland-israel-players-skip-handshakes-before-nations-league-game/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Haaland leads Ronaldo, Mitrović, Gyokeres in Nations League all-time scoring chart",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/haaland-leads-ronaldo-mitrovic-gyokeres-in-nations-league-all-time",
        "published": "2026-09-27T11:14:10.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Nations League: Wales level in Denmark after VAR rules out opener",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/nations-league-wales-level-in-denmark-after-var-rules-out-opener",
        "published": "2026-09-27T16:53:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "Denmark defeat Wales 2-0 for first UEFA Nations League win",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/denmark-defeat-wales-2-0-for-first-uefa-nations-league-win",
        "published": "2026-09-27T18:24:59.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Ireland players refuse handshakes with Israelis before Nations League match",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/ireland-players-refuse-handshakes-with-israelis-before-nations-league",
        "published": "2026-09-27T20:26:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Ramos fires holders Portugal to 2-1 Nations League win in Norway",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/ramos-fires-holders-portugal-to-2-1-nations-league-win-in-norway",
        "published": "2026-09-27T21:02:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Ramos fires holders Portugal to Nations League win in Norway",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/ramos-fires-holders-portugal-to-nations-league-win-in-norway",
        "published": "2026-09-27T21:54:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}