For several months, an active campaign has been ongoing in Ireland aimed at preventing the Irish football team from participating in matches against Israel in September and October. Initially, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) seemed to have resolved this issue by adopting a resolution that allowed Nations League matches to be held on neutral territory.
However, activists argue that this is insufficient, and their campaign is not ending. Rebecca O'Keeffe, representing the group Irish Sport For Palestine (ISFP), stated that the campaign will only gain momentum as they remain firm in their intention to stop these games. She emphasized that the situation has not changed, and they continue to witness the genocide and impunity of the genocidal regime.
Despite months of debate and protests, the FAI insists on fulfilling its obligations within the UEFA tournament. Nevertheless, disagreement persists within Irish football circles, as supporters of the 'stop the game' movement believe their efforts are far from over. The League of Ireland Fans for Palestine group announced on social media that they are prepared to use any means, including actions around the airport, to prevent the team from traveling.
Following the FAI vote on the match, several members of this group challenged the decision of the association's president, Paul Cook. The next day, activists staged a protest on the roof of the FAI headquarters in Dublin, promising further unrest. Another Nations League match against Austria is scheduled in Dublin, which is now expected to be a venue for new protests.
Ken Powell from the LOI fan group noted that the issue is not about the location but about who is playing. He reminded that Israel killed 566 footballers only in Gaza since October 7, 2023, and therefore their message remains unchanged: 'no games, neither here nor anywhere else.'
Meanwhile, some match cancellation campaigns have become pessimistic. Stuart Gilhully from the Professional Football Association of Ireland believes that the games will likely take place unless the players themselves take a decisive stance, which he does not see.
The Nations League group B3 matches between Ireland and Israel are scheduled for September 27 and October 4, respectively, and will take place in Hungary and Serbia. Before this time, many debates, arguments, and protests are expected, as Ireland, known for its solidarity with Palestine, faces the symbolic weight of these encounters while being economically dependent on the US.
Historically, hopes rose after Troy Parrott's victory over Hungary in November, but the defeat to the Czech Republic in March overshadowed these expectations. Although the League of Ireland suffers from resource shortages in terms of facilities and academies, it is moving upwards, and the women's team reached the World Cup playoffs. However, the February Nations League draw placed Ireland in a group with Austria, Kosovo, and Israel.
The FAI initially stated that it would play both matches and allow Israel to participate in Dublin, despite its own resolution submitted to UEFA last year calling for the suspension of Israel's participation. There were immediate calls for a boycott in light of the genocide in Gaza. The 'Stop the Game' campaign was launched with the involvement of ISFP, LOI clubs, fan groups, trade unions, and civil society organizations, and legal proceedings were initiated. A clear divide emerged between the institutional and grassroots levels of Irish football.
The FAI is in a vulnerable position due to financial problems and internal disagreements. The organization is cutting 25 percent of its staff, and strategic documents show a lag behind international peers. The association has a debt of 38 million euros ($43 million) and relies on UEFA for financial survival.
Aoibhán O'Riordan, a Member of the European Parliament from Dublin, expressed dissatisfaction with the FAI's approach, stating that UEFA should have made a decision long ago, as Israel violates the statutes of UEFA and FIFA and should not participate. He advocates for a sporting boycott, noting the intensity of events in the Middle East, where politicians receive daily reports in the European Parliament, yet no sanctions are imposed.
The situation has also affected clubs: Joanna Byrne, a Member of Parliament from Louth, was forced to step down from her leadership position at Drogheda United, owned by the American group Trivela Group, after opposing the matches and demanding Israel's removal from the tournament. A protest in front of the Irish parliament in May included an act where fans threw tennis balls with Palestinian colors onto the pitch during a friendly match against Qatar.
Sports Minister Patrick O'Donovan initially stated that he would not attend the match in Dublin, while the government insisted that the decision rested with the football authorities. Ultimately, the home match was moved to Serbia, and Israel's game was moved to Hungary. The FAI feared that refusing the games would cause significant damage to Irish football, forecasting initial losses of 5.5 million euros and potential losses of 10.3 million euros, as well as exclusion from international competitions.
Although the police, government, and football authorities in Ireland may breathe a sigh of relief that the issue has been moved outside the country, activists expect increased protests. O'Keeffe stated that they are using all channels of action, cooperating with Palestinian groups in Austria and other civil society organizations.
Calls for boycotts are not limited to football. There is a campaign to terminate the thirty-year sponsorship contract between GAA and Allianz, as the insurance company was mentioned in the UN Special Rapporteur Frances Albanese's report for deriving financial benefit from the presence of Israeli forces in Gaza. O'Keeffe is skeptical of the FAI's financial forecasts, arguing that they rely on hypothetical sanctions that can be challenged in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
While O'Riordan is pessimistic about the possibility of stopping the games, he warns of a campaign targeting the players. He also expressed frustration over the abuses directed at the FAI president. The official stance of Irish football is similar to the broader governmental approach: loud statements in support of Palestine with weak implementation of concrete actions. However, O'Riordan emphasizes that the game should not be the sole focus, especially considering Ireland's six-month presidency of the EU Council, which began this month. He believes that greater responsibility lies in using this presidency to advance the agenda for terminating the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
According to authorities, the fires that have been affecting the regions of Madrid and Ávila in Spain since Thursday continue to spread, and the situation is assessed as extremely serious. Approximately 60 thousand people have been evacuated or placed under control.
The Minister of Environment, Agriculture and Internal Affairs for the Madrid region, Carlos Novillo, stated during the day that the fire in Madrid is at 'the worst level' and 'impossible to extinguish.' Consequently, a state of emergency was declared for Madrid and Ávila on Thursday, and the European Civil Protection Mechanism was activated to request four aerial firefighting assets from European Union (EU) partners.
Novillo reported after the Central Command meeting (Cecopi) on Friday that the wildfire in the southwest of the region has reached its 'peak' and is now 'beyond extinguishing capabilities.' He emphasized that the current priority is 'protecting cities, assisting evacuated residents, and utilizing all available resources,' as the fire cannot be extinguished directly in this zone.
The severity of the fire's consequences prompted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to confirm his presence at the coordination center for the major wildfire this Saturday at 08:00 GMT. Sánchez will be accompanied by the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, in the municipality of Senisientos, where an emergency meeting will take place. According to Carlos Novillo, 45,000 people in the autonomous community of Madrid have already been affected: 26,000 were preemptively evacuated, and about 20,000 are under house arrest.
In the neighboring region of Ávila, part of Castile and León, another 1,500 people have currently been relocated. Novillo noted that the smoke plume is moving further north than expected and expressed hope that the fire does not reach the tree canopy, which would accelerate its spread and complicate control. The firefighting operation is hopeful for the night, when the wind usually subsides after daytime speeds exceeding 60 kilometers per hour.
The regional minister also noted that the fire 'continues to grow,' but 'at the moment' has not resulted in any injuries. He thanked those who arrived with reinforcements from other autonomous communities, including the Valencian Community, and called the fire 'unprecedented' in both Madrid and Spain due to its impact on the population and the number of evacuees. According to the latest report, the flames have destroyed 43 homes and damaged more than 280 others. Authorities predict that the fire in Madrid will be joined by the fire spreading in the province of Ávila, and the flames may threaten the Escorial, the world's largest Renaissance building.
The Spanish government delegate in the Madrid region, Francisco Martín, told journalists that authorities do not rule out further evacuations in the coming hours due to the development of the flames. Data was later updated, and two more municipalities under house arrest were evacuated. The President of the Autonomous Government of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, called it 'the worst fire in history' for the region, labeling it a 'catastrophe' for a densely populated area.
Spain's Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, added that besides the fires in Madrid and Ávila, nine other hotspots are burning across the rest of Spain, which led to the activation of the European Civil Protection Mechanism. A man suspected of being the source of the fire in Ávila was arrested while he was operating agricultural machinery in a prohibited area. This year, over 130,000 hectares burned in Spain, compared to over 393,000 hectares in 2025, which is the largest area ever covered by fire in the country's history.
