The FAI, with the support of the government, must ensure that the men’s national team does not fulfil its fixtures against Israel in their upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign.

David Gardiner, a St. Patrick’s Athletic supporter and Workers’ Party representative in Palmerstown-Fonthill said: “The FAI should respect the view of the Irish public, as well as their own members, by refusing to facilitate the legitimisation and sportswashing of the genocidal Israel state. The government, for its part, should commit to covering any sanctions or fines that the FAI might incur by taking a principled stance.”

“Irish people have stood in solidarity with Palestine for a long time, and in light of the ongoing genocide, the view of the majority of the nation couldn’t be made any clearer: we do not wish to treat Israel like a normal state.”

Garrett Greene, a Bohemians member and Workers’ Party representative in Cabra-Glasnevin, said: “This critical view of Israel is evident within Irish football itself. Last year, the FAI General Assembly mandated the Association to request that the UEFA Executive Committee suspend Israel from competition, which the FAI followed through on back in November. It is unfortunate and hypocritical that UEFA did not see fit to do so, despite such action being taken against Russia and Belarus in recent years. Furthermore, throughout 2025, banners urging footballing authorities to show Israel the red card appeared at many Irish football grounds, including when Ireland hosted Hungary at Lansdowne Road back in September, as well as at many League of Ireland games throughout the season.”

“Indeed, this approach clearly extends beyond just diplomacy or trade and into other realms of sports and culture, as made clear by controversies in recent years involving the Irish women’s national basketball team playing against Israel, and RTÉ’s boycott of Eurovision 2026.”

Chris Bailie, a Cliftonville supporter and Workers’ Party Republican Clubs spokesperson in North Belfast, said: “Sport can be used as a force for both good and bad. The 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin were used by Nazi Germany to project a positive image of itself to the world some short years before the beginning of the Holocaust. More recently, Qatar used the 2022 FIFA World Cup to present itself as a fine modern state to do business with, despite their well-documented poor record on human rights. However, the sports boycott of apartheid-era South Africa, the recent work of groups like Sports Against Racism Ireland and Irish Sport for Palestine, and the positive impact of sport in our communities shows the power that it has to be used for social good.”

“The FAI have the misfortune of having landed between a rock and a hard place with this draw, but the bottom line is that they have a choice to make. The right thing to do, for the integrity of both the nation and the game, is to refuse to play against Israel. No matter how we might try to rationalise or justify it, opting for anything less ultimately acts to normalise a state that is currently committing a genocide against the Palestinian people.”