Ireland Postpones News Conference Ahead of Israel Match

Ireland team press conference venue
The top table was empty at the appointed time.

The Republic of Ireland have delayed their pre‑match news conference for Sunday’s UEFA Nations League game against Israel, a fixture many fans now urge to boycott as the Israel‑Gaza war continues.

The match, set for 19:45 BST in Debrecen, is part of Group B3 of the Nations League, and the return meeting will be held in Backa Topola, Serbia on 4 October.

Calls for a boycott have come from the pressure group Irish Sport for Palestine, with the "Stop The Game" campaign growing in support. Former Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr and ex‑player James McClean have voiced backing for withdrawing from the fixtures.

Some players, however, have expressed differing views. Midfielder Jason Knight said he did not think the game should go ahead, while winger Chiedozie Ogbene urged the public not to put pressure on the squad about the planned match.

The media were expected to meet with head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson at 09:15 BST before training. An UEFA official entered the room to announce that the press conference would be postponed until after training, around 11:30 BST, but later re‑announced that the training session itself had been postponed and no new times were given.

The game’s controversy is set against the backdrop of the Gaza conflict, which began on 7 October with the Hamas attack on Israel and has seen more than 73,000 Palestinians killed according to the Hamas‑run health ministry, a figure considered reliable by the United Nations.