"In the wake of the destruction in Gaza": Ireland's new demand against Israel
The Nations League draw for the 2026/27 season determined that the Israel national team will play in Group 3 of League 2, where it will face the national teams of Austria, Ireland, and Kosovo. The matches against the Ireland national team are expected to draw significant interest and be unusually charged.
The Nations League draw for the 2026/27 season determined that the Israel national team will play in Group 3 of League 2, where it will face the national teams of Austria, Ireland, and Kosovo. The matches against the Ireland national team are expected to draw significant interest and be unusually charged.
Since the outbreak of the war on October 7, Ireland has entrenched its position as one of the most hostile countries toward Israel on the European arena, and at the height of the tensions the Irish federation demanded that UEFA suspend Israel from international competitions. Visits to Dublin and the hosting of the Irish are expected to take place under heavy security and in a very tense atmosphere in the stands.
UEFA’s dramatic announcement of its intention to blacklist FIFA following the commercialization initiative of Gianni Infantino created ripples that go beyond the managerial dispute at the top of world football. In Ireland, journalists and sports activists are marking the European organization’s unprecedented step as a window of opportunity for a local move against the Israel national team, ahead of the Nations League matches.
Public criticism in Ireland regarding holding matches against Israel has been escalating in recent months, accompanied by widespread protests and demonstrations by fans and civil society organizations. The central claims call for the removal of Israel from international competitions following the fighting in the Gaza Strip, along with a demand that the Irish federation take a stand and not host or appear for these matches.
Until now, the heads of the federation in Dublin feared taking the boycott path, factoring in the account of harsh sanctions and prolonged punishments from UEFA. However, columns in Irish media now claim that once UEFA itself granted official endorsement to the boycott tool as a legitimate step in a principled struggle, it lost the moral and legal validity to impose punishments on a federation that would act similarly for reasons of conscience.
At the same time, internal pressure within the country is also rising. The main trade union association in Ireland officially announced that it will back any worker who refuses to take part in hosting or operating the matches against the Israeli national team, while defining the move as a basic right of freedom of conscience.
