The Republic of Ireland delivered a statement on and off the pitch on Sunday, defeating Israel 3-0 in a UEFA Nations League Group B3 match at Nagyerdei Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary. But the Irish team had to play without their reserve goalkeeper, Gavin Bazunu.
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'I am a man of strong faith and try my best to be a person of character and principle; therefore, I feel it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel,' Bazunu said in a statement posted on Instagram, explaining his decision to miss the games on Sunday, 27 September 2026, and 4 October. 'My decision is based purely upon my personal belief that killing innocent people is wrong.'
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Team Made Their Protest Known
But while Bazunu was the only player who withdrew from the squad over the Israel fixtures, the rest of the team made their position known on the pitch. The squad wore black armbands in recognition of lives lost in the conflict. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, citing the Ministry of Health, said that 73,231 Palestinians had been killed since 7 October 2023, while 173,686 were injured.
@rtenews Ireland's UEFA Nations League match against Israel is under way in Hungary. The Irish players took to the pitch in Debrecen wearing black armbands “in recognition of all lives lost in the (Gaza) conflict”. They did not shake hands with the Israeli players and bowed their heads during the Israeli national anthem.
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The Republic of Ireland team also lowered their heads when the Israeli national anthem was played. The Irish coaching staff also turned their backs on the field. The players, too, refused to shake the Israeli players' hands before kick-off, a pre-match ritual.
Captain Dara O'Shea reportedly stood with his hands behind his back during the pre-match meeting rather than extending a hand. The game almost didn't happen, too.
@joeham.1 Ireland Vs Israel in the UEFA nations league #ireland #nationsleague #irish #ireland🇨🇮 #sportsontiktok
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Israel: One Jersey, One Flag
The official Israel X account hit back at the Republic of Ireland for politicising the sport. 'Some politicize sport. Others actually play it. Israel's 27 players. Jewish and Arab Israelis. One jersey. One flag,' the account said.
'And when Israel faces Ireland twice in the Nations League, that's the team Ireland will face. Some choose protest. Others choose to play together,' Israel also said.
Some politicize sport. Others actually play it.
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) September 27, 2026
Israel’s 27 players. Jewish and Arab Israelis. One jersey. One flag. 🇮🇱⚽
And when Israel faces Ireland twice in the Nations League, that’s the team Ireland will face.
Some choose protest. Others choose to play together.
Hours before kick-off, there were still doubts about whether the game would go ahead. Irish players met privately two days before the game to discuss whether they wanted to play at all.
On the morning of the match, the team then held an emergency four-hour meeting at their hotel, which ended in a vote, described by Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive David Courell as a 'significant majority' in favour of playing.
The FAI then released the following statement: 'The Football Association of Ireland confirms that the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League fixtures against Israel will be fulfilled. The Association made this decision following consultation with the Republic of Ireland players who shared different views and a majority expressed that the fixtures should be played.'
The Game
The match was essentially Israel's home game because they have been unable to host international matches since the start of the Gaza war. It was a fast and easy win for Ireland: Troy Parrott opened the scoring, Adam Idah doubled the lead, and Jack Moylan added a third, all within the first 25 minutes.
@lukacupp humanity always #ireland #israel #uefa #football
♬ Linger - The Cranberries
Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz attributed the actions of the Irish players to 'ignorance.' They are expected to meet again on 4 October 2026 in Bačka Topola, a small town in Serbia. Ireland's designated home fixture was also moved to a neutral venue.
