Troy Parrott under pressure ahead of Ireland‑Israel clash
The Irish national team will face Israel on September 27 in Debrecen and on October 4 in Bačka Topola, while striker Troy Parrott is under growing pressure after an open letter signed by more than 160 athletes calling for a boycott of both matches.
Open letter and signatures
An open letter, promoted by Irish Sport for Palestine as part of the Stop The Game campaign, was made public on Monday and has more than 160 signatures. Among the signatories are Olympic athlete Ciara Mageean, former international Louise Quinn, boxers Tyrone McKenna and Eric Donovan, and former rugby player Tony Ward, who at the time refused to travel with Ireland to apartheid South Africa.
What is at stake
In July, the Irish Football Federation (FAI) settled the debate with 75 votes in favour of playing the matches, 32 against and 3 abstentions. A month earlier, the Irish Parliament had rejected a motion to block the fixtures. The letter criticises the FAI, UEFA and the Government for delegating the decision to the players and links it to the situation in Gaza.
Icelandic manager Heimir Hallgrímsson spoke individually with the 26 called‑up players before publishing the squad list. He concluded that none of them feels comfortable with the matches, but that, once the decision to play them is made, the group will remain united and no one has asked to be left out. The pressure has shifted from the federation’s offices to players such as Parrott, whose profile in Ireland has risen after establishing himself at Sevilla.
Troy Parrott is one of the 26 called‑up players and arrives as a starting striker for the Irish side. His recent prominence at Betis includes the decision not to travel against Real Madrid and the goal he scored on his Champions League debut, in Lille’s 2‑3 victory.
The two fixtures will be played at neutral venues within a four‑match window in just twelve days. If Ireland finish top of the group, they will be promoted to League A of the Nations League and secure the second‑seed spot in the qualifying draw for Euro 2028, a target Hallgrímsson has set for this date.
The Irish national team will debut against Kosovo on Thursday in Pristina, and any gesture by the players before September 27 in Debrecen will be interpreted in a way that goes beyond the Nations League.