Ireland’s football team last night bowed their heads during the Israeli national anthem and refused to shake hands with their opponents before a clash between the two countries in Hungary.
The Nations League match has been shrouded in controversy after the Irish team and officials came under huge pressure to stage a boycott due to Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
The calls to withdraw were part of a ‘Stop The Game’ campaign, organised by the pressure group Irish Sport for Palestine and supported by former Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr and ex-international James McClean.
Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad, with the Bolton star saying ‘I am a man of strong faith and try my best to be a person of character and principle’, adding: ‘My decision is based purely upon my belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong.
‘It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition to the Israeli people or the Jewish community but against the atrocities in the region.’
Players voted to fulfil the fixture and also agreed to wear black armbands in recognition of all the lives lost in the conflict. Ireland also decided against giving a pennant to Israel to mark the match – a standard gesture in all international fixtures.
The customary pre-match handshake did not take place and during the playing of the Israel anthem, Ireland’s starting XI looked towards the floor in unison – as did their substitutes.
The gesture was the latest sign of growing hostility towards Israel after 12 countries including the UK, France and Canada announced sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank earlier this month.
The Ireland XI look to the floor during the playing of the Israel national anthem
Israel’s players stood for the anthem as Ireland’s bowed their heads
The Irish side did stand proud for their own national anthem
Ireland’s substitutes and staff also looked at the floor during Israel’s anthem, with the squad having voted to play the match
Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad due to Israel’s actions in Gaza
Heimir Hallgrimsson was heavily criticised in Israel for saying Ireland are ‘playing against genocide’
Ireland won 3-0 after first-half goals from Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Jack Moylan, who took off his black armband and kissed it when celebrating.
There were no handshakes as full time and Ireland’s players were booed as they left the field.
Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson had also said that ‘nobody is comfortable playing these games for many reasons’ and, earlier in the week, said his team were ‘playing against genocide’.
A training session on Saturday was delayed by five hours after players decided whether to boycott the match which was held in Debrecen, Hungary, with Israel playing in neutral venues due to the conflict.
FAI chief executive David Courell said a ‘significant majority’ voted to play.
UEFA rules mean teams must name at least three goalkeepers in their squad and Bazunu’s withdrawal meant that Jimmy Dunne, the QPR centre back, was named as a keeper on the official team-sheet.
Irish broadcaster RTE cut back its screening of the game with no studio punditry, no advertising and only using commentary from an international feed.
It said it would only ‘meet its contractual obligations’ to broadcast the fixtures.
Many pubs in Ireland refused to show the game and there were protests outside the team hotel in Dublin earlier in the week.
The match came against a backdrop of ongoing and increasingly volatile disagreement between the two countries about Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
In May 2024, Ireland officially recognised a Palestinian state – alongside Spain and Norway – and later that year joined South Africa’s Gaza genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice.
The country has also refused to take part in Eurovision since 2025 due to Israel’s ongoing participation in the song contest and was the first EU nation to boycott goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
In June, the country issued travel bans on Israeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich,
Ireland are set to play Israel again on Sunday but it will be behind closed doors at a neutral venue in Serbia.
As soon as Ireland were placed with Israel – as well as Austria and Kosovo – at the Nations League draw in February, the FAI faced demands from some to boycott the matches.
But the FAI eventually took a vote of its delegates in July, in which 75 members voted to play the matches and 32 voted to boycott.
It decided this summer to play its ‘home’ fixtures against Israel at a neutral stadium, citing ‘operational challenges that could impact on the delivery of the game on home soil’.
No tickets were sold to Irish fans for either the ‘home’ or ‘away’ matches, while a small allocation was available for Israeli fans for the first fixture, which has been the case at multiple previous Israel home games held in Hungary.
Hungary was chosen because it enjoys a stronger diplomatic relationship with Israel compared to many other European nations, and it has been willing to provide the necessary policing and security arrangements for matches to take place.
While the FAI gave no official reason for the selection of Backa Topola in Serbia, the remoteness of the town may make security management easier and reduces the possibility of demonstrations.
