Stop The Game

Stop The Game
#StopTheGame
Part of
2026–27 UEFA Nations League (League B)
International reactions to the Gaza War
Location
Ireland,
Debrecen, Hungary,
Bačka Topola Serbia
GoalsThe boycotting of both of the Nations League fixtures between the Republic of Ireland and Israel
stopthegame.ie

The Stop The Game (Irish: Stop/Stad an Cluiche) campaign is an ongoing campaign against association football matches scheduled to be played by the Republic of Ireland national football team against the Israel national football team in the UEFA Nations League. The campaign is driven by Irish Sport for Palestine.

The campaign believes that the Republic of Ireland should boycott their games against Israel in response to the ongoing Gaza genocide. The campaigners believe that if the Irish team were to compete in the game, that they would be complicit in Israeli sportswashing.

Background

In 1974, the Israel national football team were forced to leave the Asian Football Confederation after many Muslim and Arab countries refused to play them. With them spending the majority of the years since playing in UEFA.

Since the beginning of the Gaza war in 2023, Israel have been required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.

The Republic of Ireland national football team and the Israel national football team were drawn into 2026–27 UEFA Nations League B Group 3 together alongside Austria and Kosovo, with the matches between the Republic of Ireland and the Israel currently scheduled for 27 September and 4 October 2026.

The campaign was launched by Irish Sport for Palestine, which issued a pre-action letter to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), Sport Ireland, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O'Donovan, and Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O'Callaghan, calling for the abolition of the games.

The campaign was discussed in Dáil Éireann on 10 June, where they voted against Ireland playing any matches against Israel (81 for, 68 against). 2 days later, the FAI asked for both fixtures against Israel to be played abroad, which UEFA approved. The FAI also requested of UEFA that the two teams would not be drawn against each other in any future competitions; however, this request was rejected.

At the start of July, after Stop The Game protests started to block the Aviva Stadium, the FAI held an emergency general meeting on whether or not to play any matches against Israel, hoping to end the campaign. The vote passed, with 75 voting in favour of playing them, and 32 against. After the vote, Éirígí for a New Republic organized a protest where protestors scaled the FAI's headquarters at the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown on Dublin's Northside, and unfurled a banner that read "FAI Cowards – Stop The Game!".

Tennis ball protest

On 28 May, during a friendly between Ireland and Qatar in Aviva Stadium, many tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch. The tennis balls were thrown during the 11th and 20th minutes, causing the match to be paused twice. Tennis balls were also thrown during the 40th minute but the match did not pause. There were also Palestinian flags and banners with the words "stop the game" on them waved in the stands as part of the protests. Ireland beat Qatar 1–0. Stop The Game considers this protest to only be the start of their protests.

Responses

Bohemian Football Club @bfcdublin
Ireland must not play Israel in the UEFA nations league.
X logo
#StopTheGame
image icon Video

On 11 June 2026, Irish football club Bohemians released a video on X (formerly Twitter), expressing support for the campaign. Throughout the video, the phrases; "I know the difference between right and wrong", "6 points or 75,000 lives", "I have a heart", "Ireland has an opportunity to stand up for what is right", "We are not willing to sportswash genocide", and "Stop the game" were repeated. Notable participants in the video include former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, Irish football manager Brian Kerr, former League of Ireland player Eoin Doyle, Leinster rugby player Trevor Horgan, and Teachta Dála (TD) for the Social Democrats Sinéad Gibney. Other notable groups and individuals who publicly support the campaign include Bohemians' chief operating officer Daniel Lambert, who is also the manager of the Belfast band Kneecap, Kneecap themselves, Sinn Féin TD Darren O'Rourke, Irish actor Liam Cunningham, activism group Pals For Palestine, Irish folk music group The Mary Wallopers, Irish rock band Fontaines D.C., Irish-Cape Verdean footballer Pico Lopes, and the Labour Party.

The games

26 September

On the morning of 26 September 2026, the Irish players did not turn up to their pre-match press conference or training session in Debrecen, Hungary ahead of their game the next day. Following a team meeting and a vote held among the squad, it was announced by the FAI CEO David Courell, that the game would be going ahead as voted by the players. He also announced that the Irish players would wear black armbands "in recognition of all lives lost in the conflict".

On 26 September, it was announced that Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu was withdrawing from the squad, not wanting to participate in the games. Bazunu would go on to release a statement on Instagram where he said "It would be wrong to participate" in the game and that his "decision is based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong".

27 September

Due to Ireland needing three goalkeepers in their squad to fulfill the fixture, defender Jimmy Dunne was registered as a goalkeeper for the game.

On 27 September the first game between Ireland and Israel went ahead. Before the game the Irish players bowed their heads during the Israeli national anthem, and the two teams did not shake hands. Ireland won the game 3–0 thanks to goals from Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Jack Moylan. After his goal Moylan took off and kissed his black armband in tribute to Palestine.

During the game the Israeli fans directed racist chants at Republic of Ireland player, Adam Idah. Following the game it was announced by UEFA that they could not investigate the matter due to the officiating team not following the proper procedures for such an event during the game. The Israeli fans also chanted for the IDF after the game.

Notes

  1. ↑ The September fixture to Debrecen, Hungary, and the October fixture from Aviva Stadium to Bačka Topola, Serbia.

References

  1. ↑ "Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, T.D. Urlabhraí Gnóthaí Eachtracha Shinn Féin". RTE Radio. 8 June 2026.
  2. ↑ "Aust-Asian bid fails". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 September 1974. p. 11. Archived from the original on 9 May 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  3. ↑ "European Qualifier match between Belgium and Sweden declared abandoned with half-time result confirmed as final". UEFA. Union of European Football Associations. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  4. ↑ "Sun 27 Sep League phase Matchday 2". uefa.com. UEFA Nations League. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "Sun 4 Oct League phase Matchday 4". uefa.com. UEFA Nations League. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "Boycott of Israel games would cause 'significant and lasting harm' – FAI". BBC. 2 July 2026. Archived from the original on 4 July 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  7. 1 2 Cunningham, Liam. "Stop The Game campaign: "We're going to ignore apartheid but adhere to the rules of this competition. It's total nonsense"". Hot Press. Archived from the original on 15 July 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "Stop the Game Campaign and FAI Participation in Matches against Israel: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]". www.oireachtas.ie. Dáil Éireann. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  9. 1 2 Hickey, Emma (6 July 2026). "'Some things are bigger than football': Pico Lopes says Israel-Ireland games shouldn't go ahead". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 8 July 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  10. ↑ Moore, Jane (12 June 2026). "Ireland-Israel fixture to be played overseas in neutral venue as Uefa approves FAI request". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 18 June 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  11. ↑ Haaretz Sports Staff (23 September 2026). "Irish PM Calls Israeli Soccer Body's Attack on Ireland's Coach 'Unacceptable'". Haaretz.
  12. ↑ "Republic of Ireland to play Israel games as motion passed". BBC. 8 July 2026. Archived from the original on 10 July 2026. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  13. ↑ Fallon, John (8 July 2026). "FAI motion to progress with Israel Uefa Nations League games passed at EGM". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  14. ↑ Browne, Jonathan (10 July 2026). "Stop The Game protestors scale FAI HQ roof with banner after EGM vote". Archived from the original on 11 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  15. 1 2 Diallo, Raf (28 May 2026). "Ten-man Ireland edge Qatar amid tennis ball protests at Aviva Stadium". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 29 May 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "Ireland's soccer coach says pro-Palestinian tennis ball protest 'kills the game'". AP News. 29 May 2026. Archived from the original on 31 May 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  17. ↑ Hand, kevin (28 May 2026). "Ireland and Qatar halted twice by protests against upcoming Israel fixtures". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 29 May 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  18. ↑ Fallon, John (12 June 2026). "FAI hopes Palestinian backing will sway members on Israel fixture". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
  19. ↑ Browne, Jonathan (11 June 2026). "Gerry Adams among high-profile names in new 'Stop The Game' campaign video". Extra.ie. Archived from the original on 18 June 2026. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  20. ↑ Arnold, Maureen (16 April 2026). "KNEECAP, The Mary Wallopers and more back 'Stop The Game' campaign protesting Ireland v Israel fixture". Hot Press. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "It's time to walk away from this match altogether.⁠". Threads. Labour Party. 8 June 2026. Archived from the original on 13 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "Ireland players vote to play contentious games against Israel, intend to wear black armbands". apnews.com. 26 September 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  23. ↑ "'It would be wrong to participate': Gavin Bazunu on decision to withdraw from squad for Israel match". irishtimes.com. 26 September 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  24. ↑ "Republic of Ireland defender Jimmy Dunne named as reserve goalkeeper for Israel game". irishexaminer.com. 27 September 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  25. ↑ "During soccer match: Irish players refuse handshakes with Israel, bow heads during anthem". Israel National News. 2026-09-28. Retrieved 2026-10-1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  26. ↑ "Israel 0-3 Republic of Ireland". uefa.com. 27 September 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  27. ↑ "Ireland star delivers powerful statement after scoring against Israel in Nations League". sports.yahoo.com. 28 September 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  28. ↑ "Israeli fans direct monkey chants and military slogans at Ireland's players". aljazeera.com. 28 September 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.