Irish athletes call on soccer stars to boycott Israel games — 'The most sporting thing you could do'

More than 160 Irish athletes sign letter calling on Ireland players to boycott Israel games

STOP THE GAME protesters outside the ground, calling for Republic of Ireland's upcoming matches against Israel to be stopped, before the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division match between Galway United and Shelbourne at Eamonn Deacy Park in Galway. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

More than 160 Irish athletes have signed an open letter to the Irish soccer team, calling on them to boycott the upcoming Uefa Nations League fixtures with Israel.

Controversy continues to rage over the fixtures, set for September 27 and October 4, which are being contested in neutral countries of Hungary and Serbia.

Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson has assembled a 26-player squad for the matches, confirming all those he called up are willing to play. However, the Icelander said some are "really uncomfortable playing the games".

The open letter, issued on Monday, is organised by Irish Sport for Palestine as part of the Stop The Game Campaign.  

It claims the FAI, UEFA, and the government have failed the Irish players by sanctioning the games to go ahead. 

It says: "They should have refused to play based on clear legal, moral, and political grounds — their own precedents, ongoing statute breaches regarding Israeli teams playing on occupied Palestinian lands, a brutal system of apartheid, and now, acts of genocide."

And it called on Irish players to take charge of the situation and refuse to play.

"We appeal to you, as athletes, to act collectively with conscience. We have all competed to the highest level of our respective sports, and some of us have even represented our country, so we understand what it takes to get here — the time, dedication, and sacrifice. 

"We also know what it takes to uphold the values of sport and act with fairness, equality, and respect which is why we call upon you, as a team, to refuse to participate in the two games against Israel."

It adds: "Not playing the game would be the most sporting thing you could do."

The letter has been signed by more than 160 athletes including Olympian Ciara Mageean, former Irish soccer star Louise Quinn, ex-Ireland rugby star Tony Ward and dual Cork All-Ireland winner Rena Buckley.

A selection of sportspeople who have signed include:

Irish rugby: Tony Ward (who boycotted Irish rugby tour of South Africa), Trevor Hogan, Jenny Murphy, Claire Molloy, Sharon Lynch, Paula Fitzpatrick, Lynne Cantwell, Deirbhile Nic a Bháird, and Grace Davitt 

Irish athletics: Ciara Mageean (Olympian), Maisy O’Sullivan, and Iseult O’Donnell 

Irish football: Louise Quinn, Savannah Kane, Luke Byrne 

Irish para athletes: Mark Rohan, Jack Squibb, Jamie Wall, and Alan Dineen (who boycotted his fixture against Israel May 2026) 

Irish boxing: Tyrone McKenna, Eric Donovan, Séan McComb, Fergal McCrory 

Irish basketball: Rebecca O’Keeffe and Jessica Scannell Irish surfing: Easkey Britton 

Irish cycling: Paul Norton Camogie: Sinéad Wylde, Claire Coffey, and Jane Adams 

LGFA: Valerie Mulcahy and Nodlaig Ní Bhrollaigh 

Dual players: Rena Buckley and Kieran McKeever 

GAA: Padraig O’Hora, Joe Brolly, Colm O’Rourke, Gary Coleman, Davey Byrne, Killian O’Gara, Michael Darragh Macauley, David Hickey, Philly McMahon, and Colm McAlarney 

Hurling: Timmy Hammersley and Ciarán Herron

Ultimate Frisbee: Stephen Jones (who boycotted his fixture against Israel August 2026) 

The letter reads in full: 

To the Irish Senior Men’s National Team, 

As athletes, we’re taught that all players are equal and everyone is bound by the same rules on a level playing field. But these universal values are incompatible with the reality of sport where oppressive and discriminatory structures are reproduced. And nowhere is this more obvious than in Palestine, where fairness and equality are denied by the Israeli occupation and then enabled by sporting bodies.

We have been unequivocal in our call to cancel the two upcoming UEFA nations league games because we believe playing Israel legitimises a genocidal regime and gives cover for statute violations, apartheid, and war crimes. We refuse to let sport be used in this way.

We have maintained pressure on decision makers because no player should be put in this position. The FAI, UEFA, and the Irish Government have all failed you by not taking decisive action and taking this out of your hands. They should have refused to play based on clear legal, moral, and political grounds – their own precedents, ongoing statute breaches regarding Israeli teams playing on occupied Palestinian lands, a brutal system of apartheid, and now, acts of genocide.

Instead, they have doubled down on playing, ignored the wishes of members, acted cowardly and dishonestly by moving the games, and have disrespected the majority of players, fans and communities across Ireland.

So now we appeal to you, as athletes, to act collectively with conscience. We have all competed to the highest level of our respective sports, and some of us have even represented our country, so we understand what it takes to get here – the time, dedication, and sacrifice. We also know what it takes to uphold the values of sport and act with fairness, equality, and respect which is why we call upon you, as a team, to refuse to participate in the two games against Israel.

This is a significant moment and with this moment you have an opportunity to do the right thing. Putting on the Irish jersey and representing your country means something. But the Ireland we want represented is the one that remembers its roots in anti-colonial and anti-imperial resistance, which Irish sport played a large part of.

This moment symbolises something deeper, it is bigger than sport. But in a way this IS sport. Not playing the game would be the most sporting thing you could do. Through your leadership and courage it would show the power of sport to unite, remind us of the shared values that connect us all, and have an impact far beyond the game.

We urge you to meet the moment and Stop The Game. Ireland is behind you on this.