Ireland maintains its matches against Israel despite the boycott

In Ireland, calls to boycott Israel are intensifying as the country is set to face the Israeli team twice in the Nations League. Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson says they are playing “against a genocide”, while the Irish federation says the matches will go ahead.

Calls for boycott and FAI’s position

Protests are growing, with more than one hundred and sixty athletes signing an open letter from Irish Sport for Palestine. The federation’s director, David Courell, says the two matches will go ahead despite calls for sanctions aimed at UEFA and FIFA. Hallgrímsson said: “We are not playing with a genocide, we are playing against a genocide.”

Schedule and conditions of the matches

The fixtures are scheduled for September 27 in Debrecen, Hungary, and October 4 in Bačka Topola, Serbia, both as part of the Nations League. They will be played on neutral ground and behind closed doors. The FAI has banned ticket sales to Irish supporters and has moved the “home” match to Serbia for security reasons.

Reaction of the Israeli federation

The Israeli Football Federation’s statement accused Hallgrímsson of “stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy”. It recalled Israel’s contributions to the world and humanity, while criticizing the Irish stance. The FAI has not yet responded to this criticism.

Campaign of Irish athletes

More than one hundred and sixty Irish athletes, including former international Louise Quinn and Olympic runner Ciara Mageean, have signed the letter calling for a boycott. The movement brings together figures from football, rugby, athletics, boxing and Gaelic sports, highlighting the breadth of support for the Palestinian cause.

Protests and previous incidents

On Monday evening, protesters gathered outside the Irish squad’s hotel in Castleknock, urging the team not to play the matches. This action adds to other gestures, such as throwing tennis balls onto the pitch during a match against Qatar, showing the ongoing tension surrounding these fixtures.

Outlook and demands to UEFA/FIFA

David Courell describes the situation as particularly difficult, with UEFA seeing no reason to exclude Israel from international competitions. The federation continues to press UEFA and FIFA for new measures, while keeping the two fixtures scheduled in the Nations League calendar.