The Football Association of Ireland announced that the Republic of Ireland's home Nations League game against Israel, originally scheduled for October 4 at the Aviva Stadium, will be played at a neutral site and behind closed doors. A separate fixture on September 27, designated as Israel's home match, will also take place at a neutral venue.
The decision follows campaigns by players, fans, and celebrities calling for a boycott of the game over the death toll of Palestinian civilians during the war in Gaza. During a recent home friendly against Qatar, activists protested by hurling tennis balls onto the pitch with "Stop the Game" messages. The FAI stated that "operational challenges" could impact the delivery of the match on home soil and confirmed that UEFA approved the move.
Ireland has been a vocal critic of Israel's military action in Gaza, which followed the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas-led militants that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. The FAI has previously called on UEFA to suspend the Israel Football Association from competitions. Similarly, United Nations experts have appealed to FIFA and UEFA for a suspension, citing a report that Israel committed genocide, an accusation Israel has denied and called scandalous.
The FAI noted that boycotting the fixtures could result in the forfeiture of six points, potentially leading to relegation to League C and weakening Ireland's qualifying potential for the 2028 European Championship, which Ireland is co-hosting with Britain. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Football Association expressed appreciation for the principled positions taken by the FAI in support of the rights of Palestinian athletes and people.