Ireland Plays Israel Amid Boycott Pressure

Ireland’s preparations for its first UEFA Nations League match against Israel were delayed on Saturday, amid growing calls in Ireland for the team to boycott the two scheduled fixtures. Reporters in Debrecen, Hungary, where Israel is due to host Sunday’s match, were told shortly before a news conference was to begin that it would take place after training. Training was then substantially delayed. Irish broadcaster RTÉ reported that the players remained at their hotel more than two hours after the session was scheduled to start, and that some players had decided they did not want to play. The report did not confirm that the team would withdraw. The pressure reflects strong support for Palestinians in Ireland. More than 160 Irish sportspeople signed an open letter asking the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to reconsider its decision to play. Protesters also gathered outside the team’s Dublin hotel, while the SIPTU trade union displayed a poster urging players to follow their conscience and not play. Former Ireland coach Brian Kerr said the FAI had lost the respect of the Irish public, arguing that the association was contradicting its earlier request to UEFA to exclude Israel from the tournament on principle. Ireland midfielder Jason Knight said after the team’s 1–0 loss to Kosovo that the players faced a difficult situation and that he did not think the games should go ahead. Coach Heimir Hallgrimsson had defended the distinction between playing against Israel and playing with it, prompting a furious response from the Israeli football federation, which accused him of stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy. The FAI has resisted boycott calls, citing the risk of UEFA sanctions. Ireland is due to host the first match in Hungary on Sunday, with Ireland’s designated home fixture scheduled for October 4 in Backa Topola, Serbia. The article reports mounting pressure and disrupted preparations, but does not establish that the players or association have decided to boycott.

The Republic of Ireland have rescheduled a news conference ahead of their Nations League match against Israel in Debrecen, Hungary. The conference, originally due to begin at 09:15 BST, was delayed shortly before it started. A UEFA official first said it would take place after training, then announced that training had also been postponed. The players were meeting at their hotel, amid unconfirmed reports that goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu had withdrawn and that other squad members were considering their positions. By about 13:00 BST, players had begun leaving the meeting, and it was confirmed that they would return for a news conference at 14:30 BST, with training scheduled for 14:45. The conference was moved from the stadium to the team hotel; UEFA did not provide an explanation for the delay. The fixture has been controversial since the teams were drawn together in Nations League Group B3. Campaigners, including the Irish Sport for Palestine-organised “Stop The Game” campaign, have urged Ireland to boycott the matches because of the ongoing Israel-Gaza war. Former Ireland manager Brian Kerr and former international James McClean have supported boycott calls. Other supporters believe the match should be played with fans present. Ireland players have also expressed differing views: Jason Knight said after a 1-0 defeat by Kosovo that he did not think the game should go ahead, while Chiedozie Ogbene asked the public not to put pressure on the players over their approach. A team meeting on Friday gave players an opportunity to discuss both the match in Hungary and the return fixture in Serbia on 4 October. The players had been expected to issue a statement at the news conference, but the delay heightened uncertainty, including reports that at least one player wanted to withdraw from the squad. The article provides context on the war: Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 people, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry; the article notes that the UN considers its figures reliable.

The Republic of Ireland will play Israel in a Nations League match in Debrecen, Hungary, after a lengthy squad discussion and a vote that the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) said passed by a “significant majority.” The decision came amid calls for Ireland to boycott the fixtures because of the Israel-Gaza war. The players intend to wear black armbands in recognition of lives lost in the conflict, skip some pre-match ceremony elements, and donate money from match fees to charity. They also requested the removal of their media obligations for the rest of the international window. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad, saying his personal beliefs made it wrong for him to participate. He stressed that his decision was not against Israeli people or the Jewish community, but against what he described as atrocities in the region. The uncertainty around the fixture delayed a news conference and training as players met to discuss whether to play. Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson acknowledged the pressure on the squad and said neither playing nor withdrawing was an easy choice. The Irish government said the FAI was responsible for the decision and had an obligation to fulfil the fixture as a UEFA member, after its motion to exclude Israel from international competitions was not passed. The controversy followed a campaign by Irish Sport for Palestine and calls for a boycott from figures including former manager Brian Kerr and ex-international James McClean. Israel Football Association communications chief Shlomi Barzel praised Ireland’s decision to play, arguing that football should be kept separate from politics. The article also recalls the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage, and Israel’s subsequent military offensive in Gaza, where more than 73,000 people have been reported killed by the Hamas-run health ministry, figures the United Nations considers reliable.

Ireland’s UEFA Nations League match against Israel is set to proceed in Hungary after a vote among Ireland’s squad returned a significant majority in favour of playing. The fixture had been in doubt following public opposition to the match and a delay to a planned news conference involving Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson. The Irish Football Association’s chief executive, David Courell, said players had discussed the issue for four hours, with coaching staff and association officials also involved. He said the association decided to fulfil the fixture in line with the squad’s majority view. The match is scheduled for Sunday at the Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen. Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad after telling Hallgrimsson he was uncomfortable fulfilling the fixture. Midfielder Jason Knight had also publicly said he did not think the game should go ahead, although he said he would try to focus on football and discuss his views with teammates. Hallgrimsson addressed his earlier comments describing the match as playing “against genocide.” In response to a question from Israeli media, he said “genocide” was a strong and wrong word to use. He also said that playing the game did not mean the team accepted events in Gaza or supported them. The Israeli Football Association had previously criticised his remarks as “ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity.” The article reports that public opinion in Ireland remained opposed to the fixture, while the squad’s vote enabled the association to confirm it would go ahead. The controversy has involved players, the coach and football officials, as well as the wider debate over Israel, Palestine and the war in Gaza.