The Ireland soccer team has delayed its press conference and training session ahead of its Nations League games against Israel, as pressure to boycott the matches continues to mount. The team was scheduled to hold a press conference and training session in Debrecen, Hungary, on Saturday, but journalists were left waiting after being told the press conference would be pushed back until after training. The training session was also significantly delayed, with Irish broadcaster RTÉ reporting that the players were still in their hotel more than two hours after the training session was supposed to begin.
The delays come amid growing pressure on the team to boycott the two games against Israel, with affinity with Palestinians strong in Ireland. The team has been coming under increasing pressure, with over 160 Irish sportspeople signing an open letter urging the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to reconsider its decision to go ahead with the fixtures. There were also protestors outside the team hotel in Dublin last week calling on the players to boycott the games.
Some players have reportedly decided they do not want to play the games, with RTÉ reporter Tony O’Donoghue telling RTÉ Radio 1 that if the players stay committed to their stated ambition of being a team, then they may all have to be out if one or more players want to boycott. Ireland midfielder Jason Knight said after Thursday’s 1-0 loss in Kosovo that the players were in a difficult situation and that he didn’t think the matches should go ahead.
The FAI has resisted calls to boycott the matches, arguing that the team could be hit by punishing sanctions by Uefa. Ireland is co-hosting the 2028 European Championship with England, Wales and Scotland, and the FAI has been keen to avoid any repercussions that could impact its hosting duties. However, the decision to go ahead with the games has been met with criticism, with former Ireland coach Brian Kerr saying the FAI had “lost the respect of the Irish people” for going ahead with the games.
The Irish people and soccer-going public have made their opinions clear over the past year, with many calling for the games to be boycotted. The Siptu trade union displayed a huge poster in central Dublin beside the River Liffey asking the players to “Go with your conscience!” and “Don’t play with genocide” beside an image of a blood-splattered ball. Kerr said the FAI had actually gone to Uefa in November and requested that Israel be put out of the tournament on principle, but then went against that principle.
Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson previously sparked controversy with his comments about the games, saying, “We’re not playing with genocide; we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel; we’re not playing with Israel.” The Israeli soccer federation accused Hallgrimsson of “stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy” in response to his comments. The games are scheduled to take place on Sunday and October 4, with the first game being played in Debrecen, Hungary, and the second game being played in Backa Topola, Serbia.
The situation has put the team and the FAI under significant pressure, with many calling for the games to be boycotted. The delays to the press conference and training session are the latest development in the controversy surrounding the games. The team’s decision on whether to go ahead with the games remains to be seen, but it is clear that the pressure to boycott will continue to mount in the coming days.
Key points
- The Ireland soccer team has delayed its press conference and training session amid growing pressure to boycott the Nations League games against Israel.
- The FAI has resisted calls to boycott the matches, citing the risk of punishing sanctions by Uefa.
- Over 160 Irish sportspeople have signed an open letter urging the FAI to reconsider its decision to go ahead with the fixtures.
