An international friendly soccer match between Ireland and Qatar was interrupted twice on Thursday due to protests against the Nations League matches with Israel. During the game at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch by fans in the upper West, East, and South sections.
The protest was organized by League of Ireland fans who later issued a statement declaring their involvement. They aimed to send a strong message to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and the Irish government to cancel the Nations League fixtures against Israel. Fans from major clubs across the capital, including Cork City, Drogheda United, Dundalk FC, Galway United, Sligo Rovers, and Waterford, participated in the protest. Tennis balls with the message ‘StopTheGame’ were thrown onto the field.
Video footage captured by The 42’s David Sneyd showed the moment of the protest. A banner reading ‘#StopTheGame’ was prominently displayed. The crowd also chanted ‘Free Palestine.’
“It is unconscionable that these games would go ahead as the apartheid Occupation regime continues to perpetrate genocide against the Palestinian people,” a protest participant said. “We would be playing football with likely war criminals.”
The statement highlighted that most of the Israeli squad has served in the Israel Defense Forces. According to reports, over 1,000 athletes and coaches, including at least 421 football players, have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, with 265 sports facilities damaged or destroyed.
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson had urged fans not to protest, instead asking them to support the team during a press conference the day before. A motion has been proposed by entities including the Professional Footballers’ Association Ireland (PFAI) and Irish Football Supporters Partnership (IFSP) calling for the FAI to refuse participation in games against Israel.
Upcoming matches between Ireland and Israel are set for September 27 on neutral ground and October 4 in Dublin. Soccer tensions related to Israel have flared previously this month. Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub refused interaction with Israel Football Association Vice President Basim Sheikh Suliman during the FIFA Congress.
“I refused to shake hands. Sport is sport. … But if the other side represents a criminal like Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu], how can I shake hands?” Rajoub stated.
Despite these controversies, Ireland defeated Qatar 1-0, overcoming the disadvantage of playing with ten men following a red card.