MEXICO CITY: Ireland’s home game against Israel in the Nations League will be played at a neutral site and behind closed doors, the Irish football federation confirmed Friday.

The Football Association of Ireland, which faced calls by pro-Palestinian activists for a boycott, said the October 4 game originally scheduled for Aviva Stadium in the Irish capital posed “operational challenges.”

At a recent home friendly against Qatar, Irish activists hurled tennis balls onto the pitch in protest. The balls had “Stop the Game” messages on them, referring to the Nations League matches against Israel.

The Irish federation confirmed that it received UEFA approval to move the October game. A location hasn’t been announced. The teams will also meet on Sept. 27 at a neutral site for Israel’s “home” game.

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“Following consultation with various stakeholders, the Association is of the view that operational challenges could impact on the delivery of the game on home soil, so the fixture will be played away from the Aviva Stadium,” it said in a statement.

“The Association understands and respects the views expressed by players and staff, supporters, its members, campaigners, members of the public and the Irish footballing community in relation to this fixture.”

The federation reiterated that boycotting the games could damage Ireland’s chances of qualifying for the 2028 European Championship, which Ireland is co-hosting with Britain.

Forfeiting six points “could lead to relegation to League C in the UEFA Nations League and weaken our qualifying potential for (the Euros),” it said.

The federation also said it has been in close contact with the Palestinian Football Association, which it said expressed its appreciation “for the principled positions taken by the Football Association of Ireland in support of the rights of the Palestinian people and Palestinian athletes.”

Ireland’s federation added that previously it had called on UEFA to suspend the Israel Football Association from UEFA competitions — in protest of Israel’s military action in Gaza. The Israel-Hamas war was sparked by the militant group’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

RAWALPINDI, Jun 12: In a remarkable display of excellence, Pakistan Army team, represented by  Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), has clinched 1st Position at the prestigious International Pacesticking Competition 2026 held at the Royal Military Academy (RMA) Sandhurst, United Kingdom.

The PMA team made a clean sweep at the competition, securing all major honors, that is 1st Overall Team Trophy, Best Pace Sticker and Best Driver awards, said a news release issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The 9-member Pakistani contingent, led by Major Haider Gulzar (Adjutant, PMA), arrived in UK on June 5, 2026.

A total of 16 international teams from different armies participated in the fiercely competed annual event. The Pakistan Army team’s victory is reflective of the highest standards of professional training, excellence and dedication maintained by the Armed  Forces of Pakistan.

South Korea next face Mexico on June 18 and Czechs travel to Atlanta to meet South Africa

MEXICO: South Korea rallied from a goal down to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 and make a winning start to their World Cup Group A campaign, much to the delight of their fans and the sizeable local Mexican support they enjoyed in a festive Guadalajara on Thursday.

The Koreans joined Mexico on three points at the top of the pool after the co-hosts defeated nine-man South Africa 2-0 in the tournament opener in Mexico City.

Ladislav Krejci put the Czechs ahead with a fine header as the European side dominated in the air, but Hwang In-beom equalised shortly afterwards and turned provider for substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu’s winner.

Oh had come on for the misfiring Son Heung-min, who had five chances in the first half alone but endured an off-day in front of goal and is still two goals shy of the all-time scoring record for the side, failing to add to his 56 strikes.

South Korea next face Mexico on June 18 and the Czechs travel to Atlanta to meet South Africa on the same day.

There were noticeable areas of empty seats in the stadium, but the vast majority of the 44,985 in attendance were firmly behind the Koreans.

It was a game of contrasting styles, the technical quality and passing range of the Koreans versus the brute strength and direct style of the Czechs.

The first half was goalless but the game sprang to life in the second period and it was the Czechs who took the lead after 59 minutes when Krejci rose highest to head home from a long throw by Vladimir Coufal.

South Korea were level eight minutes later and it was a fine goal too. Lee Kang-in’s excellent through ball created the shooting opportunity for Hwang In-beom and he cut inside before curling a right-footed shot low into the far corner.

Korea were undone by a set-piece again when Thomas Soucek headed in a free kick, but the flag was raised for offside as the Czechs’ first game at the World Cup in 20 years ended in defeat.

Julian Quinones scores early goal as Mexico dominate opener; Raul Jimenez adds second with header

DNA

NEW YORK: Mexico got the World Cup party started as the co-hosts swept away South Africa 2-0 on Thursday in an encounter with three red cards as the pyrotechnic smoke of the opening ceremony gave way to a cloud of red mist at a thrumming Azteca stadium.

The match fired the starting gun for the quadrennial football extravaganza, yet the scrappy encounter will likely be remembered not for its thrilling football but for its flurry of dismissals.

Julian Quinones’s early strike set the tone for a dominant Mexican display in the Group A encounter with Raul Jimenez’s header midway through the second half removing any lingering tension for the home crowd.

Yet South Africa were reduced to 10 men when Sphephelo Sithole was sent off early in the second half, with his teammate Themba Zwane following him off the pitch before Mexico’s Cesar Montes was dismissed in the dying moments.

The ill-tempered encounter spoiled an otherwise party atmosphere, yet the home crowd got to celebrate an opening victory that will set them up nicely to make it out of a group that also includes South Korea and the Czech Republic.

“It’s a moment I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life,” said Mexico midfielder Erik Lira. “The only thing I felt was that everything it took to get here had been worth it.”

It was a day of firsts for the World Cup, as the first 48-team edition, and the first to be held in three countries, got underway in the first stadium to host three World Cup openers.

South Africa players look dejected after their 2-0 defeat to Mexico in the Fifa World Cup 2026 Group A match at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City on June 11, 2026. — Reuters

It was fitting therefore that the first of a record 104 matches had Mexico clinch a first win in the tournament’s opening match after seven previous failures and of course, it was the first World Cup opener to feature three red cards.

The fixture was a repeat of the 2010 tournament opener, when South Africa held Mexico to a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg, yet this encounter was played out in a stadium with World Cup history stamped all over it.

The Azteca has witnessed some of the tournament’s most iconic moments, from Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ and 1986 heroics to Pele’s all-conquering Brazil side of 1970.

While there was none of that era-defining quality on show on Thursday, it mattered little to the hordes of green-clad supporters, who had already been revved into frenzied excitement before a ball was kicked.

With the match played against a backdrop of protests that had threatened to bring Mexico City to a standstill, supporters were taking no chances, with many already hovering around the stadium nearly seven hours before kickoff.

An opening ceremony that featured Shakira and Burna Boy performing the World Cup anthem had pumped up the crowd still further before Mexico swiftly got down to business.

A drone view shows fans watching the match between Mexico and South Africa during the 2026 FIFA World Cup at a public screening in Plaza Garibaldi in Mexico City, Mexico, June 11, 2026. — Reuters

The game was barely minutes old when Jimenez stung the fingertips of South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams with a volley from 12 yards, but the tournament’s opening goal was not long in coming.

Sithole was robbed on the edge of his own box by Lira, preferred in the heart of midfield to captain Edson Alvarez, and he quickly fed Quinones who danced inside before drilling a low finish beneath Williams.

South Africa were clinging on for dear life as the first half came to a close and the second began in a similar vein.

Brian Gutierrez drew the first red card when his marauding run towards the box was stopped in its tracks by Sithole, whose clumsy tackle from behind earned him his marching orders to complete a miserable afternoon’s work for the midfielder.

The crowd had begun to get a little restless at Mexico’s failure to turn their numerical advantage into another goal but that frustration was relieved when Jimenez bagged his first World Cup goal, with a powerful downward header past Williams from a devilish cross by Roberto Alvarado.

The game’s finale was dominated by the dismissals with Zwane sent off after a VAR check for a supposed arm to the face while Montes was sent off for Mexico for denying a goalscoring opportunity.