Irish comedian Hickey calls for boycott of Israel match over Gaza war

Irish comedian and activist Tadhg Hickey called for Ireland’s UEFA Nations League match against Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, to be boycotted because of the war in Gaza. The Football Association of Ireland said the majority of players wanted the match to go ahead and announced that it would be played as planned.

Irish comedian and activist Tadhg Hickey called on the Republic of Ireland national football team to boycott its UEFA Nations League match against Israel. Hickey said the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) had failed to show leadership over the fixture and had left the decision to the players.

The match is scheduled to be played on Sunday at Nagyerdei Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary. Following discussions with the players, the FAI said the majority of the squad wanted the matches to go ahead and announced that the Israel fixtures in the 2026–2027 UEFA Nations League schedule would be played.

FAI says decision followed discussions with players

The FAI said the players held differing views about the matches, but that the majority wanted the fixtures to be played. The association said it respected the views of all players and was aware of the sensitivity surrounding the matches.

Irish media reports said that some players, including goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, wanted to withdraw from the match against Israel. Hickey described Bazunu’s decision to leave the squad as a principled one and said he hoped other players would take a similar stance.

Stop The Game campaign increases pressure

The fixture is also a focus of the Stop The Game campaign, organised by Sport for Palestine Ireland. The campaign is calling for the match against Israel to be cancelled and for the players to withdraw because of the ongoing attacks in Gaza.

İrlandalı komedyen Hickey, İsrail maçının Gazze savaşı nedeniyle boykotunu istedi

Campaign spokesperson Shane Moore said the possibility of the match being cancelled remained and that they would continue to put pressure on the FAI and the players. Moore also criticised the association’s arrangements for supporters, claiming that no tickets had been allocated to Irish fans while Israeli supporters would be able to attend the match.

Moore said that after the match in Debrecen, the return fixture, in which Ireland is scheduled to be the official home team, had also been moved from Dublin to Bačka Topola, Serbia. The match, scheduled for 4 October, is expected to be played behind closed doors.

Calls for a boycott among players and athletes

Ireland midfielder Jason Knight became the first national-team footballer to publicly say that the team should not play against Israel. Knight said he did not believe the match should be played but acknowledged that it would go ahead, adding that the players would hold more detailed discussions before Sunday’s fixture.

More than 160 athletes in Ireland have signed an open letter calling on the national team not to play against Israel. The Stop The Game campaign has also organised demonstrations calling for Israel to be suspended from international football.

Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson had previously said that some players felt uncomfortable about the matches and described the team as “playing against genocide.” His comments prompted a strong reaction from the Israel Football Association.

Hickey said the match was generating significant pressure in Ireland and internationally and that the players would face intense scrutiny if it went ahead. Moore urged the footballers to continue their call for a boycott and said the campaign would continue to oppose the staging of the match.