In an open letter entitled “Stop the Game,” the group Irish Sport for Palestine is calling on the Irish government and the Irish Football Association (FAI) to respect what they see as the public’s will and to abandon matches against Israel.
The text accuses Israel of committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip and violating the statutes of UEFA and FIFA regarding matches on an “occupied territory.” Israel denies these accusations, stating that its forces are not committing genocide in Gaza and affirming that they adhere to international law in their military operations.
The pressure from the FAI comes in a particularly sensitive political and social context in Ireland, where support for the Palestinian cause is highly visible. Pro-Palestinian demonstrations are regularly organized there, while criticism of Israeli policy in Gaza spans a wide swath of the political spectrum.
Activists point out that in November 2025, 93% of FAI members voted to urge its leadership to pressure UEFA to suspend Israel from European competitions. They believe the Irish institution must now “respect and represent” this mandate.
The letter was signed by players from the League of Ireland, former men’s team coach Brian Kerr, and Louise Quinn, twice named Irish Women’s Player of the Year. Several figures from the Irish cultural scene have also endorsed it.
Among the supporters is Roberto Lopes, captain of Shamrock Rovers and president of the Association of Professional Footballers of Ireland. In the letter, he argues that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza cannot be ignored, and that human losses should take precedence over any sporting considerations. According to him, Ireland has the opportunity to set an example by acting where other countries refuse to do so.
Ireland is set to host Israel at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on October 4. A first match, considered a home game for Israel, is scheduled for September 27 on neutral ground.
However, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin believes both matches should take place. While acknowledging that his government strongly criticized Israeli policy in Gaza and condemned Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, he deemed sport a complex arena when it is directly impacted by politics.
The FAI is also cautious. In February, its general manager, David Courell, stated that the national team must fulfill its sporting obligations, under penalty of severe consequences for Irish football, including possible disqualification from future competitions.
Nevertheless, boycott supporters argue that the federation cannot ignore public opinion. A survey conducted by the Irish Football Supporters Partnership indicated that 76% of those surveyed were opposed to the match against Israel.
Israel has been participating in UEFA competitions since the early 1980s, after being excluded from Asian competitions in the 1970s when several countries refused to play against them.
The Irish appeal comes at a time when Israel’s place in international sports competitions has been the subject of ongoing debates since the start of the Gaza war.
