Israel matches will do ‘significant and lasting harm’

A decision by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to go ahead with Ireland’s Nations’ League fixtures with Israel has been described by a local councillor as doing “significant and lasting harm”.

Ireland are set to play Israel in Group 3 of League B, in Debrecen, Hungary on 27 September, and again on 4 October in Topola, Serbia. The matches were moved from Dublin and Tel Aviv respectively due to security concerns.

Solidarity Cllr Brian McCarthy said playing the fixtures would amount to “sportwashing” the crimes of a “genocidal racist state” - Israel. “The FAI board used scaremongering tactics to get this vote over the line with a completely exaggerated scenario of the financial costs saying it would cause ‘significant and lasting harm’ to Irish football.

“There would be a strong case to challenge any financial penalties and event then, the Government should step in and cover any losses. After all they were more than willing to cough up for massive security costs when this was to be held at the Aviva.

“The majority of the population do not want these games to go ahead and the FAI are hanging the players out to dry putting them in this position. If the FAI board and the state think this vote changes anything, they’re delusional,” he said.

An emergency general meeting meeting (EGM) of the FAI on Wednesday 8 July voted 75 votes to 32 in favour of fulfilling Ireland’s fixtures against Israel, with three abstentions.

The motion called on members to recognise the “profound impact” that not playing the matches would have on Irish football.

“The association understands and respects the views expressed by its members, as well as players and staff, supporters, campaigners, members of the public and the Irish footballing community in relation to the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League fixtures between Ireland and Israel,” said the FAI in a statement.

Following the vote, activists from the socialist republican organisation Éirigí scaled the roof of the FAI’s headquarters and displayed a banner reading: ‘FAI Cowards - Stop the Game!’.

Stop the Game, a campaign established to pressure the FAI to boycott the matches, said that the result was a “disappointing indictment” of the FAI and didn’t reflect the will of the Irish public or professional players.

“We respect the secret ballot. However, serious questions remain about how this vote was brought forward, including the denial of an initial request for proper debate on the match, the failure to address questions brought by co-proposers before requisitions were sent, the three week delay between receipt of requisitions and them being deemed ineligible, the wording of the motion and the misrepresentation of the PFA’s (Professional Footballers Association of Ireland) position.

“We will be seeking clarity on the governance issues in the days ahead,” they said in a statement.

They said the campaign remains “resolute” that the matches will not take place.