Irish Athletes Urge Boycott of Matches Against Israel Amid Growing Tensions

Over 160 Irish athletes have urged the Republic of Ireland’s men’s soccer team to boycott their upcoming matches against Israel. This request comes as tensions between Ireland and Israel escalate. The Republic of Ireland is scheduled to face Israel twice in UEFA Nations League qualifiers. The first match will occur in Hungary on September 27, followed by another in Serbia on October 4. These games will take place without fans, as protests in Ireland continue over the civilian casualties in Gaza.

The activist group Irish Sport for Palestine announced via social media that more than 160 athletes had signed the open letter. They urged the soccer team to act with conscience and refuse to play against Israel. This statement followed comments made by Irish head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson, who addressed reporters about the potential distraction for players given the public outcry in Ireland.

“We are not playing with genocide, we are playing against genocide,” Hallgrímsson stated. “We are playing against Israel; we are not playing with Israel.”

His remarks prompted a strong response from the Israeli Football Association, which criticized Hallgrímsson in a social media post. They highlighted their global contributions but noted the absence of a cure for what they described as “stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy” shown by the Irish coach.

The Irish government has remained a vocal critic of Israeli military actions in Gaza. Diplomatic tensions peaked when Israel closed its embassy in Dublin in December 2024. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar cited Ireland’s “extreme anti-Israel policies” as the reason for this closure. He accused Ireland of using antisemitic rhetoric, de-legitimizing Israel, and employing double standards.

Ireland has also supported South Africa’s legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The Irish government formally joined this legal action, further straining relations.

The Irish football association voted last year to request UEFA suspend Israel from its competitions. However, the Football Association of Ireland reaffirmed this summer that the Irish men’s soccer team would fulfill its UEFA obligations. They noted the importance of fulfilling fixtures on the future of Irish football and its development.