Ireland squad vote to play Israel tie despite Gaza unease

Ireland’s football team voted on Saturday to fulfil a Nations League tie with Israel despite goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu pulling out of the match due to unease over the war in Gaza.

“We carried out a vote amongst the squad to establish their sentiment on fulfilling the fixtures,” Football Association of Ireland (FAI) head David Courell told reporters in Debrecen, Hungary, where the game will take place on Sunday.

“It was a significant majority that was returned with the intention to continue.

“Based on that, the association took the decision on behalf of Irish football, that this fixture would continue as we have always intended to fulfil the fixtures,” he added.

Ireland are scheduled to play two Nations League ties against Israel, with the first — officially Israel’s home fixture – at the neutral venue in Hungary.

Ireland’s designated home match on Oct 4 has been moved from Dublin’s Aviva Stadium to Backa Topola, Serbia, following concerns over disruption and security.

“I have reached a decision that I have not taken lightly,” Bolton’s Bazunu said on Instagram.

“I feel it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel. My decision is based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong,” the 24-year-old added.

Ireland has long been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, with sympathy often linked to the country’s own history of British rule.

Dublin, alongside Spain and Norway, formally recognised a Palestinian state in 2024, and has repeatedly criticised Israel over the Gaza conflict.

Israel strongly rejects allegations its conduct in Gaza amounts to genocide.

“Football has won, the separation between football and politics must be maintained,” said a statement by the Israeli FA later Saturday hailing the Irish decision.

“The ones who have certainly lost today are those who wanted to intimidate, to separate and to turn the football pitch into a political arena,” it added.

Since Ireland were drawn in the same Nations League group as Israel, prominent Irish figures including sportspeople, fan groups and pro-Palestinian campaigners have protested against the ties going ahead.

Bazunu’s decision triggered the delay of a scheduled press conference on Saturday, followed by a vote among the squad on whether to fulfil the fixture or not.

“Nobody is comfortable playing these games for many reasons,” said Ireland’s Icelandic manager Heimir Hallgrimsson.

“We are trying to tackle it in the best way we can at the moment,” he added.

Ireland players will not fulfil any media duties tomorrow, or against Austria in Dublin on Oct 1, or around the game against Israel in Serbia three days later, said Courell.

The players will wear black armbands “for all lives lost in the conflict” during Sunday’s match, with profits from the Austria game to be donated to charity, he said.

Sunday’s match comes days after national broadcaster RTE confirmed Ireland would again boycott the Eurovision Song Contest next year because of Israel’s participation.

In a rare move for a state broadcaster, RTE said earlier it will show the Israel game without Irish commentary or pundits.

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