Protests with tennis balls and Palestine flags at the Aviva Stadium

On Thursday evening, during the Nations League match Ireland‑Austria at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, about thirty tennis balls, some bearing stickers of the Palestinian flag and the slogan #StopTheGame, were thrown onto the pitch in the 19th minute, forcing the referee to briefly stop play, while protests against the Nations League Ireland‑Israel continue.

Protest Organization

A demonstration was organized outside the Aviva Stadium by Stop The Game and the Ireland‑Palestine Solidarity Campaign. The participants asked the Irish national team not to play the second match against Israel, scheduled for Sunday in Serbia behind closed doors. Stop The Game also sent an open letter to the players and to head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson, urging them to forgo the game.

Shortly after the interruption, another protester ran onto the field waving a Palestine flag. The incident highlighted the growing tension surrounding the double Nations League Ireland‑Israel tie.

The protests are not new: in May, during the friendly against Qatar, fans had already thrown tennis balls to oppose matches with Israel. In response, the FAI voted to ask UEFA to suspend Israel from competitions, but the national team later decided to honour the two commitments.

National Team Reactions

Within the squad, the issue caused divisions. A significant majority of players voted to take the field against Israel, but goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu declined the call‑up for the first match, citing moral reasons. The team wore black armbands and, during the Israeli anthem, the players lowered their heads, without the usual handshakes.

The first tie, played last Sunday in Debrecen, Hungary, ended 3‑0 in favour of Ireland. Attention now turns to the Sunday match, moved to the TSC Arena in Bačka Topola, Serbia, and slated to be played behind closed doors for security reasons. Bazunu returned to the bench against Austria, but will not be available for the second encounter with Israel.

Stop The Game announced that it will not make any further public comments before the Sunday match, leaving the final decision to the players. The situation remains tense, with the international sporting community watching closely the development of the controversy.