Why Ireland's match against Israel will be like no other

Ireland will face Israel in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday after an extraordinary four-hour meeting in which players voted on whether to boycott the controversial fixture over Israel's genocidal war in Gaza.

The match in Debrecen, Hungary, was thrown into doubt on Saturday after goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad, saying that he believed it would be "wrong to participate" in the two upcoming games against Israel.

His decision prompted hours of discussions between players, coaches and Football Association of Ireland (FAI) officials, delaying both training and a scheduled press conference.

FAI chief executive David Courell later said a "significant majority" of players had voted to fulfil the fixture, although he declined to disclose the result. Irish media reported that some players opposed playing, with The Irish Times reporting that one teammate confronted Bazunu directly during the heated discussions.

Bazunu later said his decision was "not in opposition to the Israeli people or the Jewish community", but in opposition to the killing of civilians.

"There are few times when you get a chance in life to stand for something bigger and I strongly believe that this is one of them," he said.

Midfielder Jason Knight had already become the first Ireland player to publicly question the fixture following Thursday's defeat to Kosovo, saying he did not believe the game against Israel should go ahead.

Despite ultimately deciding to play, the Irish squad will stage a series of protests around Sunday's match.

Players will wear black armbands in recognition of those killed in the conflict, while the team will not participate in elements of the usual pre-match ceremony, including the traditional handshake with their Israeli counterparts. Players and the FAI will also make a charitable donation from match fees and revenues.

Israel's football association responded to the vote by declaring that "football has won", while Israeli players said they would still offer to shake hands with the Irish team.

Mounting pressure

Pressure on Ireland to boycott the matches has intensified for months, despite the FAI itself having formally called on UEFA to suspend Israel from European football.

The association nevertheless says refusing to fulfil the fixtures could result in forfeiting six points, possible relegation from the Nations League and further disciplinary measures, with consequences for Ireland's international ranking and qualification prospects.

The controversy escalated further this month when Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said: "We're not playing with genocide, we're playing against genocide. We're playing against Israel, we're not playing with Israel."

The Israeli FA accused Hallgrimsson of displaying "stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy", prompting Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin to intervene, describing its response as "unacceptable" and call for the remarks to be withdrawn.

Hallgrimsson subsequently acknowledged that using such strong language had drawn attention away from football, saying it had been "not clever" from a leadership perspective, but stressed on Saturday that taking the field did not mean players supported or accepted what was happening in Gaza.

"Nobody is comfortable playing this game for so many reasons," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris has also opposed a boycott, arguing that Ireland rather than Israel would suffer the sporting consequences and urging that pressure not be placed on individual players. Opposition parties including Sinn Fein however have called for Ireland not to play.

Even Irish broadcaster *RTE *has distanced itself from treating the fixtures normally. While contractually obliged to show them, it will have no studio presentation or punditry, will use international-feed commentary and has taken no advertising or sponsorship around the broadcasts.

Sunday's match is nominally a home game for Israel but will take place in Debrecen because Israel is unable to host UEFA fixtures.

The return fixture on 4 October will be equally unusual. Ireland has moved its own "home" game from Dublin to Backa Topola in Serbia, where it will be played behind closed doors.

Ireland supporters have not been allocated tickets for Sunday's match, meaning that when the two teams finally take the field, almost nothing surrounding the fixture will resemble an ordinary international football match.