UEFA Nations League: Ireland players agree to play Israel fixtures, plan black armbands
The Ireland national football team is facing internal division over upcoming Nations League matches against Israel due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Reserve goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has withdrawn from the squad, citing personal moral objections to the team's participation.
Why it matters
This highlights the intersection of international sports and geopolitical activism, showing how individual athletes are increasingly using their platforms to protest state actions.
Pressure to boycott upcoming Nations League games against Israel over that country's actions in Gaza took its toll on the Ireland team on Saturday (September 26, 2026) when players talked for hours, voted on their participation, and one departed the squad.
Ireland is due to play Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, in the first of those games on Sunday (September 27), but the team's press conference and training session on Saturday (September 26) were delayed by more than five hours as the players again held discussions among themselves in the team hotel over whether they should play.
Gavin Bazunu later confirmed on social media that he had left the squad. He said he felt it would be “wrong to participate” in the games “based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong.”
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in