The broadcaster said this was based on its legal obligations to broadcast the match and in order to support Ireland’s national team. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has said the Ireland team will play the matches, with the October 4 match due to be played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney had written to RTE to ask it not to broadcast either match. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the matches should go ahead (Cillian Sherlock/PA)“In Ireland, the responsibility obviously falls to RTE as Ireland’s national PSM, and a member of the EBU. “The FAI need to endeavour to run soccer matches, and RTE needs to do its job in fulfilling its contractual obligations,” he told RTE’s Drivetime.

Source: The Herald February 27, 2026 06:36 UTC