Ireland’s Israel Clash in Crisis as Player Protests Grow Over Gaza War

Ireland are set to face Israel in the Nations League in Hungary on Sunday amid mounting calls to boycott the matches over the Gaza conflict.

Published On 26 Sep 202626 Sep 2026

Ireland’s pre-match preparations descended into chaos on Saturday as journalists and officials waited for over two hours for the team’s scheduled press conference and training session in Debrecen, Hungary, where Israel’s “home” fixture against Ireland is set to take place on Sunday.

The delays intensified speculation that several players may refuse to participate in the highly politicized match, adding further uncertainty to a fixture already boycotted by numerous current and former athletes and public figures across Ireland.

Irish broadcaster RTÉ reported that some squad members had decided they no longer wished to play, echoing sentiments expressed by midfielder Jason Knight following Thursday’s 1-0 defeat to Kosovo, where he described the players as being in a “difficult position” and questioned whether the games should proceed.

The situation has become increasingly fraught as public opinion in Ireland—where solidarity with Palestinians runs deep—continues to pressure both the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and the national team to take a stand.

Ireland’s head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson previously attempted to clarify his stance, stating, “We’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel, we’re not playing with Israel.” However, his comments drew sharp criticism from the Israeli Football Association, which accused him of “stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy.”

The FAI has so far resisted demands to withdraw from the fixtures, citing potential punitive sanctions from UEFA. Ireland is currently co-hosting the 2028 European Championship alongside England, Wales and Scotland, which complicates matters significantly.

An open letter signed by over 160 Irish athletes urged the FAI to reconsider its position, while protests outside the team hotel and large-scale demonstrations—such as a prominent poster erected by trade union SIPTU in central Dublin depicting a blood-splattered football—have underscored the depth of feeling around the issue.

Former Ireland manager Brian Kerr criticized the FAI for allegedly losing the respect of the Irish people, pointing out that while the association had previously lobbied UEFA to exclude Israel from competition on principle, it now appeared to be going against that same principle by allowing the matches to continue.

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