{"id":5865,"date":"2026-09-27T22:40:26","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T22:40:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=5865"},"modified":"2026-09-27T22:40:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T22:40:26","slug":"ireland-defeats-israel-in-controversial-uefa-nations-league-match-football-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=5865","title":{"rendered":"Ireland defeats Israel in controversial UEFA Nations League match | Football News"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Ireland\u2019s players wore black armbands in support of Palestinians, bowed their heads during the Israeli anthem, and refused pre-match handshakes.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Published On 27 Sep 2026<\/span>27 Sep 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Republic of Ireland has won the first of two football matches against Israel at the UEFA Nations League<\/a>, defeating the Israeli team 3-0 after calls to boycott the match drew international attention.<\/p>\n

Ireland\u2019s players wore black armbands at the game in Hungary on Sunday in support of Palestinians killed during Israel\u2019s genocidal war on Gaza. Irish players also bowed their heads during Israel\u2019s national anthem and did not shake the hands of the Israeli team. Ireland\u2019s captain, Dara O\u2019Shea, has also pledged to donate all of his earnings from the match to aid Gaza.<\/p>\n

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On Saturday, Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive David Courell said the players would wear black armbands \u201cin recognition of all lives lost in the conflict\u201d as he confirmed that the match would take place after hours of talks and a vote among the team. Israel was informed in advance by the FAI that Ireland\u2019s players would not shake hands, and UEFA accepted the arrangement.<\/p>\n

After the FAI confirmed that it would participate in the match, the Republic of Ireland\u2019s first-choice goalkeeper, Gavin Bazunu<\/a>, became the only player to publicly opt out of the fixture.<\/p>\n

Bazunu posted a statement on social media on Saturday, saying he felt \u201cit would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel\u201d.<\/p>\n

He withdrew from both legs of the fixture, including the next match set to take place on October 4 in Backa Topola, Serbia.<\/p>\n

\"DUBLIN,
Fans protest an upcoming match between the Republic of Ireland and Israel during the international friendly match between the Republic of Ireland and Qatar on May 28, 2026, at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland [File: Charles McQuillan\/Getty Images]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The match on Sunday proceeded<\/a> despite months-long pressure<\/a> on the FAI to boycott the match due to Israel\u2019s genocide in Gaza.<\/p>\n

Since May, leading Irish footballers have joined a campaign run by Irish Sport for Palestine, urging Ireland to boycott the match against Israel. More than 160 Irish athletes signed<\/a> an open letter urging the FAI to reconsider its decision to proceed with the games.<\/p>\n

The campaign says Israel has breached UEFA and FIFA statutes by allowing teams to play on occupied Palestinian land and should be stripped of its membership at both football bodies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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Ireland\u2019s players wore black armbands in support of Palestinians, bowed their heads during the Israeli anthem, and refused pre-match handshakes. Published On 27 Sep 202627 Sep 2026 The Republic of Ireland has won the first of two football matches against Israel at the UEFA Nations League, defeating the Israeli team 3-0 after calls to boycott…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-international-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t