The match is being played in a neutral country and the stands are likely to be empty but Sunday’s Nations League fixture between Israel and the Republic of Ireland will nonetheless have the eyes of the world upon it.
Since February’s draw paired the sides against each other, voices across Irish society have demanded a boycott of the match. The Republic of Ireland’s government says Israel is committing genocide through its military action in Gaza, and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) wants Israel suspended from international competition. But unless Ireland’s players decide not to take the field in the Hungarian city of Debrecen, the match will go ahead.
