Ireland moves Israel match to neutral venue behind closed doors after protests, but boycott calls persist
The Republic of Ireland's home Nations League fixture against Israel on October 4 will be played at a neutral venue overseas, behind closed doors, after protests and calls for a boycott over the Gaza war. Opposition politicians say the game should be cancelled entirely.
FA announces venue change
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) confirmed on Friday that its home match against Israel, originally scheduled for October 4 at Dublin's Aviva Stadium, will now be staged at a neutral overseas venue and behind closed doors. UEFA has approved the move, and the away fixture on September 27, designated as Israel's 'home' match, is also expected to take place at a neutral site. The FAI said it had consulted stakeholders and concluded that "operational challenges" made it impossible to deliver the game on home soil.
Following consultation with various stakeholders, the Association is of the view that operational challenges could impact on the delivery of the game on home soil, so the fixture will be played away from the Aviva Stadium.
Earlier this year FAI CEO David Courell had said the match would go ahead in Dublin after police pledged a safe environment, but the recent friendly against Qatar saw protesters hurl tennis balls onto the pitch with "Stop the Game" messages.
Opposition and campaigner criticism
Opposition parties immediately denounced the relocation. Sinn Féin sport spokeswoman Joanna Byrne called it "cowardly" and accused the government of failing to provide a roadmap for a full boycott. Labour Party foreign affairs spokesman Duncan Smith labelled the move a "cop out".
Changing the venue for the game is a cop out. We need to stop the game and be brave enough to walk away from the fixture.
Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman said the fixtures should not be played at all, adding: "Out of sight is not out of mind." The StopTheGame campaign described the decision as "the mother of all betrayals of our players by the FAI".
FAI's warnings and Palestinian backing
The FAI argued that forfeiting both matches would hand Israel six points, risk relegation to League C in the Nations League, weaken Ireland's qualifying potential for Euro 2028 (which it co-hosts), and have broader financial consequences for Irish football. Minister for Sport Patrick O'Donovan urged politicians to "back off", insisting there was a rules-based system and that a boycott would ironically reward Israel. The Palestinian Football Association expressed appreciation for Ireland's stance.
The Palestinian Football Association expresses its appreciation for the principled positions taken by the Football Association of Ireland in support of the rights of the Palestinian people and Palestinian athletes.
The Israel Football Association said: "The fact that the match will not be played in Dublin does not change our ambition to win".
What's next
The FAI is yet to inform UEFA of the exact alternative venue; Iceland and Switzerland are among countries under consideration, while Hungary, where Israel has staged previous home games, is no longer an option. An emergency general meeting sought by some FAI members to vote on a boycott is not binding on the board. Some players may face pressure to boycott individually.
- FAI confirms home match moved to neutral venue behind closed doors
- Israel's 'home' match at a neutral venue
- Ireland's home match at a neutral venue behind closed doors
