Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in Nations League tie played amid boycott calls

The Republic of Ireland beat Israel 3-0 on Sunday in a Nations League match that went ahead despite calls for a boycott, after the squad voted to play.

The game was held in Debrecen, Hungary, on neutral ground. Israel were the nominal home side, but the fixture was moved out of the country because of the war in Gaza. Ireland's home match, originally scheduled for Dublin, has been switched to Serbia and will be played without fans.

Doubt hung over the fixture until Saturday. Ireland's pre-match news conference and a training session were both delayed while the players and the Football Association of Ireland held talks. The FAI said the squad held a vote and that a significant majority backed fulfilling the fixture. The manager, Heimir Hallgrímsson, said nobody involved was comfortable with the game.

"Absolutely, we said from beginning, nobody is comfortable playing this game for so many reasons," he said. "We decided to play this game together. That's why there's a unique and a new balance in the situation that we are trying to tackle the best way we can at the moment."

FAI chief executive David Courell said an unnamed player had raised concerns that morning and indicated they would withdraw, which led to the wider discussions. In the end the goalkeeper, Gavin Bazunu, pulled out of the squad.

"My decision is based purely on my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong," Bazunu said in a statement. "It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition of the Israeli people or the Jewish community, but against the atrocities in the region."

Hallgrímsson said the pressure on the squad had almost reached breaking point, and that all but one player trained on Saturday afternoon. Ireland's players also made their position clear: they were not supporting anything happening in Gaza, and were playing because it is the rule of the competition they are in.

Before kick-off, Ireland's players bowed their heads during the Israeli national anthem. There were no handshakes between the captains or the teams, and the players wore black armbands. The FAI said the armbands recognised all lives lost in the Gaza conflict. Ireland has made similar moves elsewhere: it has withdrawn from the Eurovision Song Contest because Israel takes part.

On the pitch, Ireland dominated. Jack Moylan scored to seal the 3-0 win, celebrating by kissing his black armband and his team badge.

Israel's players and staff held their own news conference before the match. They said football and politics should not mix, and welcomed Ireland's decision to play.

"We are coming to play football. We are footballers," Israel's coach said. "We have the privilege to represent Israel in this stage and we are focused only in football."

The controversy has been building since the teams were drawn together in February. Ireland's government has been among the strongest critics of Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Israeli leaders deny committing genocide, a finding made by a UN Commission of inquiry. Ireland's football authorities have asked UEFA to remove Israel from international competition.

But when the FAI's assembly met in June, it decided the team would fulfil the fixtures. Playing avoids losing the points available from the two games, further points deductions and possible sanctions that could damage Ireland's route towards qualifying for Euro 2028, which it co-hosts with the United Kingdom.

The decision has not settled the argument at home. Campaigners have called for a boycott, and there have been protests outside the team hotel. Players have also faced abuse online, with one widely shared post warning that any Irish footballer who played would be "hammered". Some supporters at Shamrock Rovers said they wanted politics kept out of sport; others said the game should not be played at all.

In Israel, the dispute has fed a growing perception that Ireland is anti-Semitic. Irish fans reject that, drawing a distinction between the Israeli government and Israeli players. One fan said the objection was to "people killing kids and women" and that it had nothing to do with Jewish people. One commentator in Ireland said the killings by Hamas on 7 October were also wrong, and that Bazunu's statement did not say so clearly enough.

Politicians have been drawn in. An Irish TD said the government would have backed the FAI had it decided not to play. There is also pressure on UEFA, where officials feel politicians have failed to take the action needed to reduce suffering in Gaza. Israel has always resisted sporting sanctions and says it is singled out unfairly.

Ireland's second match against Israel is to be played in Serbia, again on neutral ground and with no supporters present. Further talks among the squad, and possibly more withdrawals, have not been ruled out.