A number of prominent Irish footballers have joined a group of artists and celebrities in a campaign calling on the Republic of Ireland to boycott its upcoming match against Israel in the European Nations League competitions this year.
The call came in an open letter issued by the “Irish Sports for Palestine” group, in which it accused Israel of committing “genocide” during the war in Gaza, and of violating the regulations of the European and International Football Associations by holding matches on occupied Palestinian lands.
The signatories indicated that the members of the Irish Football Association had voted in November 2025 by a large majority to grant its leadership a mandate to pressure the European Union to suspend Israel’s membership, considering that the Federation was required to implement this decision.
The list of signatories included players in the Irish League, former national team coach Brian Kerr, and former international player Louise Quinn, in addition to artistic and cultural figures, including the Irish rock band “Fontaines DC” and the former Oscar-nominated actor Stephen Rea.
Ireland is scheduled to host Israel in Dublin on October 4, while another seeded match is expected to be held on Israeli soil in a neutral stadium on September 27.
Shamrock Rovers captain and President of the Professional Footballers’ Association in Ireland, Roberto Lopez, said, “The humanitarian catastrophe in Palestine must take precedence over any sporting considerations,” calling on Ireland to take a leadership position in this issue.
On the other hand, Israel denied committing acts amounting to genocide, while Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin stressed that the two matches should be held as scheduled.
