Israel game should not go ahead, says Ireland Knight Jason Knight
Republic of Ireland midfielder Jason Knight, who earned his first cap in 2020 and has accumulated 44 appearances, has become the first Irish player to publicly oppose the scheduled Sunday match against Israel. He says the game should not go ahead, citing the ongoing Gaza conflict and the growing "Stop The Game" campaign.
Speaking after Ireland’s 1-0 defeat to Kosovo in Pristina, Knight told reporters, "Look, it’s difficult. I don’t think the game should be going ahead but it is going ahead. We’ll have a deeper talk about it and what that means, we’ll get our thoughts as a group and go from there." He added that he would try to focus on his football as much as possible.
Match logistics
The Nations League meeting will be held in Debrecen, Hungary, with the designated home fixture taking place there on Sunday. The return leg is set for 4 October in Backa Topola, Serbia. Both matches are part of Group B3.
Campaign and reactions
Since the sides were drawn together in Group B3, calls to withdraw have intensified, with the "Stop The Game" campaign gathering pace across Ireland. Over 160 Irish sportspeople have signed an open letter urging the Football Association of Ireland to reconsider the fixture.
Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said many squad members feel uncomfortable, stating, "We're not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide." The Israel Football Association responded by accusing Hallgrimsson of hypocrisy and stupidity.
Stand‑in captain Dara O'Shea confirmed that the squad will meet on Friday to discuss their approach to the Sunday "home" game, which will be played without Irish fans in attendance and will be followed by a behind‑closed‑doors match the following week.
The backdrop to the dispute is the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. In retaliation, Israel’s offensive in Gaza has resulted in more than 73,000 deaths according to the Hamas‑run health ministry, figures deemed reliable by the United Nations.
Knight, who plays for Bristol City in the Championship, described himself as "quite experienced" and "thick‑skinned", insisting he will try to keep his focus on the football despite the unprecedented situation.
As the group stage progresses, Ireland’s players will continue to review the situation together, weighing the moral concerns against their competitive obligations in the Nations League.