Boycott campaign says Ireland-Israel Nations League games are ‘bigger than football’

Campaigners and politicians argue relocating the fixtures would not address wider concerns over playing the matches

A Deliveroo rider passes the new Lamine Yamal mural outside Bohemians' Dalymount Park, which features the Barcelona star with a Palestinian flag and the words "stop the game", referencing calls to halt the Ireland v Israel European cup fixture. Picture: PA

The question of boycotting Ireland's UEFA Men’s Nations League games against Israel is “bigger than football”, a campaign group has said.

The Stop The Game campaign addressed a group of TDs on Tuesday and argued that moving the fixture to another venue, as is expected, would simply remove the public’s right to protest.

Former Ireland international basketball player Rebecca O’Keeffe and Bohemian FC chief commercial officer Daniel Lambert both said that relocating the game would be the “worst option”.

Asked whether there was an argument for playing the game to avoid handing Israel six points in the competition — potentially boosting its chances of qualifying for Euro 2028, which Ireland will co-host — Mr Lambert said the issue was “not about the success or otherwise of the Israeli football team”.

“The idea here isn't about what happens down the road, the success or not of the Israeli football team. It's about showing the world and acting on the views of the majority of Irish people, the majority of the players, of fans, and of FAI members surveyed in the general assembly, which voted at 93% last November in favour of not playing the game.

“What happens to the Israeli football team in the future in terms of success or otherwise shouldn't come into the decision-making. We're not sitting down here to say our aim is to minimise the Israeli chance of success in football. This stands for something that's bigger than football and involves football being the platform on which that position is taken, but really is a legal position under international law.”

Ms O'Keeffe added that it was “hypocritical” of members of Government to say they would not attend the game while leaving it to players to decide whether they would play.

"Hearing ministers or governing bodies not protect you, you're exposed but you don't feel supported in any way. So hearing leaders of the country take such a stand is absolutely outrageous."

The group has issued a pre-action letter for judicial review to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), Sport Ireland, the Minister for Sport and the Minister for Justice over “their collective failure to designate the Irish senior men’s Nations League football fixtures against Israel, slated for September and October 2026, as unlawful and stop those fixtures”.

The campaign has engaged solicitor Darragh Mackin to issue the pre-action letter.

"The pre-action puts the Ministers, Sport Ireland, and the FAI on notice over their various legal obligations that arise from the decision to allow the games to proceed," a statement said.

The legal correspondence asserts that the FAI and Sport Ireland must undertake their own due diligence to ensure the spending of public funds complies with their domestic human rights obligations.

Speaking at Leinster House on Tuesday morning, Sinn Féin spokesperson on sport Joanna Byrne said her party wants “this game stopped” and that a move to a neutral venue would not be sufficient.

“We don’t want it moved, whether the game is played in Hungary or Timbuktu. It’s just really kicking the can down the road.

“The rumblings of moving this match to a neutral venue is a symptom of the FAI hearing the discontent amongst the Irish public, but not actually listening to it,” she said.