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Ireland-Israel Nations League match will be in Serbia behind closed doors

DUBLIN (AP) — Ireland’s home game against Israel in the Nations League will be behind closed doors in Serbia in October.

The Football Association of Ireland and UEFA approved. The Oct. 4 match will be in Bačka Topola in northern Serbia.

They will first meet on Sept. 27 in Debrecen, Hungary, for Israel’s “home” game.

Ireland was urged at home to boycott the matches against Israel. At a recent home friendly against Qatar, Irish activists in protest. The balls had “Stop the Game” written on them, referring to the Nations League matches against .

But the FAI argued that boycotting the games could damage its chances of qualifying for the , which Ireland is co-hosting with Britain.

The FAI added it previously called on UEFA to suspend the Israel Football Association from UEFA competitions in protest of Israel’s .

Neither Ireland nor Israel qualified for the .

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AP soccer:

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