{"id":653441,"date":"2026-05-07T09:28:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T09:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/653441\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T09:28:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T09:28:12","slug":"irish-athletes-celebrities-urge-boycott-of-upcoming-soccer-games-against-israel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/653441\/","title":{"rendered":"Irish athletes, celebrities urge boycott of upcoming soccer games against Israel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Leading Irish soccer players have joined with celebrities in a campaign urging the Republic of Ireland to boycott a UEFA Nations League match<\/a> against Israel later this year.<\/p>\n

An open letter sent to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) from campaign group Irish Sport for Palestine accuses Israel of engaging in \u201cgenocide\u201d in the war in Gaza and of breaching UEFA and FIFA statutes regarding playing matches on occupied territory.<\/p>\n

In November 2025, 93 percent of FAI members voted for its leadership to press UEFA to suspend Israel under those statutes, a mandate campaigners say the Irish governing body should \u201crespect and represent.\u201d Anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian sentiment in Ireland is highly visible, with regular mass protests and cross-party political support for Gaza.<\/p>\n

Israel has denied that its forces have committed genocide during the war in Gaza, and has vehemently insisted that it abides by international law in all its military endeavors.<\/p>\n

The letter, entitled \u201cStop the Game.\u201d was signed by League of Ireland players, former men\u2019s coach Brian Kerr and twice women\u2019s player of the year Louise Quinn.<\/p>\n

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Irish rock band Fontaines D.C., anti-Israel hip-hop trio Kneecap and singer-songwriter Christy Moore were among the other signatories, along with Oscar-nominated actor Stephen Rea.<\/p>\n

#Ireland<\/a> \u2014 Several high-profile figures within Irish football have written an open letter to the Football Association of Ireland calling for a boycott of Ireland\u2019s UEFA Nations League fixtures against Israel later this year.<\/p>\n

The letter, sent by the #StopTheGame<\/a> group, was signed\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/imhFmMcrel<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Antifa_Ultras (@ultras_antifaa) May 6, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Ireland is set to host Israel at Dublin\u2019s Aviva Stadium on October 4, while a September 27 fixture designated as an Israeli home match is expected to be staged at a neutral venue.\n<\/p>\n

The letter includes a statement from Shamrock Rovers captain and Professional Footballers\u2019 Association of Ireland chair Roberto Lopes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t ignore the humanitarian catastrophe in Palestine; the sheer loss of life there has to take precedence over any sporting consideration,\u201d said Dublin-born Lopes, who is set to play at the World Cup for Cape Verde in June. \u201cIreland has an opportunity here to lead and do what others won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tIrish rap group Kneecap band member, Liam O\u2019Hanna, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, speaks to supporters outside Westminster Magistrates\u2019 Courts in London on August 20, 2025. (JUSTIN TALLIS \/ AFP)<\/p>\n

Israel have played in UEFA competitions since the early 1980s after being excluded from Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competitions in the 1970s when several countries refused to play against them.<\/p>\n

Ireland\u2019s Prime Minister Micheal Martin said the two matches against Israel should go ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have been critics and have opposed very strongly Israeli government policy within Gaza in particular. We condemned the Hamas attack on Israel which was absolutely horrific,\u201d the Taoiseach told the\u00a0Irish\u00a0Times.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think sport is an area that can be challenging when it crosses into the realm of politics\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In February, FAI Chief Executive David Courell said the national team had no choice<\/a> but to fulfill its obligations or risk harming the long-term sporting interests of Irish football, including potential disqualification from future competitions.<\/p>\n

A poll by the\u00a0Irish\u00a0Football Supporters Partnership found 76% of respondents opposed the fixture being played.<\/p>\n


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