The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive David Courell confirmed that players from the Republic of Ireland will wear black armbands during their Nations League game against Israel in Hungary on Sunday, in recognition of lives lost in the Gaza conflict. Courell stated that one player has withdrawn from the squad in protest, but a significant majority of the team voted to proceed with the match. In addition to wearing black armbands, the players plan to make further gestures for the initial game and the return fixture against Israel next Sunday in Serbia.
The fixtures have been controversial due to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, with calls for the Republic of Ireland to withdraw from the games, led by the pressure group Irish Sport for Palestine. Courell noted that the players requested to remove their media obligations for the remainder of the window and expressed their intention to contribute to charitable donations from match fees.
On Saturday morning, there were doubts about whether the match would take place, as a scheduled news conference was postponed shortly before it was set to begin. Players were in a meeting after goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu announced his withdrawal from the game, citing personal beliefs against the killing of innocent people. He emphasized that his stance is not against the Israeli people or the Jewish community, but against the violence in the region.
Former Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr and ex-international James McClean have supported calls for a boycott of the fixtures. The conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, leading to significant casualties on both sides. Hallgrimsson acknowledged the pressure on the players and confirmed that training would continue, with further discussions planned.
The Irish government stated that decisions regarding the fixtures are the responsibility of the FAI and UEFA. The FAI had previously advocated for Israel's exclusion from international competitions but was obligated to fulfill the fixture after a motion was not passed by UEFA. Israel Football Association's director of communications, Shlomi Barzel, praised the Republic of Ireland for confirming their participation, emphasizing the importance of separating football from politics.