{
  "id": 10280743,
  "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-10280743",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-27T19:58:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/ireland-israel-players-skip-handshakes-before-nations-league-game/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a contentious UEFA Nations League match at the Nagyerdei Stadion in Hungary, the Republic of Ireland and Israel national teams refrained from exchanging handshakes before kick-off. The match, held in light of the Israel-Gaza conflict, saw both captains, Dara O’Shea and Manor Solomon, absent from the pre-game ritual. This decision was influenced by the \"Stop The Game\" campaign, which urged players not to participate in the fixture. Despite this, the Irish team chose to play after a team meeting the previous day. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu later withdrew from the squad due to his belief in the ethical implications of participating. The Irish players wore black armbands during the game, honoring those affected by the conflict. The team's head coach, Heimir Hallgrimsson, acknowledged the challenging atmosphere created by the controversy, emphasizing the need to prioritize player welfare while maintaining focus 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."
}