Players of the Republic of Ireland national team have voted to honour their Nations League fixtures against Israel despite concerns over the ongoing war in Gaza.
The decision was taken on Saturday after a vote was conducted among members of the squad. According to the Football Association of Ireland head, David Courell, the vote was to establish the players’ sentiment on fulfilling the matches.
Courell, who spoke to reporters in Debrecen, Hungary where the first tie will be played on Sunday, said a significant majority of the players supported going ahead with the games. He said based on that outcome, the association decided that the fixtures would continue as originally intended.
Ireland are scheduled to face Israel twice in the competition. The first encounter, which is officially Israel’s home fixture, will be played at a neutral venue in Hungary.
The second leg, which is Ireland’s designated home match on October 4, has been moved from the Aviva Stadium in Dublin to Backa Topola in Serbia following concerns over possible disruption and security threats.
The vote came after Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu pulled out of the squad. In a statement shared on Instagram, the 24-year-old said he had not taken the decision lightly but felt it would be wrong to participate in the matches against Israel.
Bazunu said his stance was based on his personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong.
Since Ireland were drawn in the same group with Israel, there have been protests from fan groups, pro-Palestinian campaigners and prominent Irish figures calling for the matches not to go ahead. Ireland has long been a supporter of the Palestinian cause, a sympathy often linked to its own history of British rule. Dublin alongside Spain and Norway formally recognised a Palestinian state in 2024 and has repeatedly criticised Israel over the conflict in Gaza.
Israel, however, strongly rejects allegations that its conduct in Gaza amounts to genocide.
Reacting to Ireland’s decision to play, the Israeli Football Association said football had won and that separation between football and politics must be maintained.
Leave a comment