Irish footballers, celebrities urge boycott of Israel match by Conal Quinn

• May 7 (Reuters) – Leading Irish footballers have joined ‌with celebrities in a campaign urging the Republic of Ireland to boycott a UEFA Nations League match against Israel later this year.
• An open letter sent to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) from campaign group Irish Sport for Palestine accuses Israel of engaging in “genocide” in ​the war in Gaza and of breaching UEFA and FIFA statutes by allowing teams to play on occupied ​Palestinian land.

… In November 2025, 93% of FAI members voted for its leadership to press UEFA ⁠to suspend Israel under those statutes, a mandate campaigners say the Irish governing body should ‘respect and represent’.

• … The letter, entitled “Stop the Game”, was signed by League of Ireland players, former men’s coach Brian Kerr and twice women’s player of the year Louise Quinn.
• Irish rock band Fontaines D.C., hip-hop trio Kneecap and singer-songwriter Christy Moore were among the other signatories ​along with Oscar-nominated actor Stephen Rea.
• Ireland are set to host Israel at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on October 4, while ​a September 27 fixture designated as an Israeli home match is expected to be staged at a neutral venue.
• .. Israel have ​played in UEFA competitions ⁠since the early 1980s after being excluded from Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competitions in the 1970s when several countries refused to play against them.