An international soccer match between Ireland and Qatar was interrupted twice on Thursday due to fan protests against Nations League games involving Israel. The protests took place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, where tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch by spectators in various sections, reported by The 42.
The protest was organized by League of Ireland fans who released a statement asserting their actions sent a ‘strong message’ to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and the Irish government. The fans’ main demand was for the cancellation of Nations League fixtures between Ireland and Israel.
Supporters from major League of Ireland clubs and others joined the protest, throwing tennis balls with the message #StopTheGame written on them. A banner displaying the same message was prominently placed, and chants of ‘Free Palestine’ echoed through the stands.
One protester condemned the games, citing the actions of the ‘apartheid Occupation regime’ and accusing Israeli forces of acts of genocide against Palestinians. The protester highlighted that military service is compulsory in Israel, meaning many team members might have served in the Israel Defense Forces. They claimed over 1,000 athletes, including at least 421 football players, had been killed in Gaza since October 2023, alongside damage to 265 sports facilities.
Despite pleas from Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson for fans to support the team, the demonstration took place. Organizations like the Professional Footballers’ Association Ireland (PFAI) and Irish Football Supporters Partnership (IFSP) also proposed a motion for the FAI to abstain from games against Israel for legal and moral reasons.
In addition, tensions this month were highlighted when Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub refused to engage with Israel Football Association Vice President Basim Sheikh Suliman at a FIFA Congress. Rajoub called for sanctions against Israel, wanting suspensions from international soccer for Israel’s actions.
On the field, Ireland secured a 1-0 victory against Qatar despite being reduced to ten men due to a red card.
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