Debrecen is one of those slow-moving Eastern European cities which leave you with the impression that things are happening behind twitching net curtains.

On Sunday night, more or less everywhere was shutting down, but in its far north, just as a display of brooding socialist architecture disappeared and a great forest opened up, arguably one of the most contentious football matches of this century was taking place, one which at various points in the build-up felt like it would never reach kick-off due to the threat of boycotts.

This may have been happening in Hungary, some 40 minutes from the Romanian border, but it was a “home” match for Israel, their 14th played in this country since 2023, when attacks by Hamas and subsequent bombing campaigns in Gaza led to hosting responsibilities being moved abroad because of security risks.

The Republic of Ireland’s football association (FAI) wants Israel suspended from international competition, a conviction supported by its national government, which says Israel is committing “genocide” The word is also used in the findings of a commission appointed by the United Nations in September 2025 Israel denies this claim. It is pending in an international court but is yet to be proven.

Despite pressure from the Irish public for a boycott, the government and the FAI pushed on, and as the weekend got closer, the players were under pressure to pull out.

In the end, only one of them did: the Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu — but Saturday will be remembered as one of the most divisive and exhausting days in Irish football history, with players and staff blockaded in the team hotel as they tried to figure out what to do.

As the show went on, Bazunu remained in the team hotel, but formalities did not follow: the players were not presented with the opportunity to shake hands before the start of the game and they did not try to, while they and staff from each nation avoided each other at the final whistle as well.

As the show went on, Bazunu remained in the team hotel, but formalities did not follow: the players were not presented with the opportunity to shake hands before the start of the game and they did not try to, while they and staff from each nation avoided each other at the final whistle as well.

Pennants were not exchanged between captains before kick-off, and when the Israeli national anthem was played on the stadium’s public address system, the Irish team and its delegation in the stands bowed their heads. Given the team’s preparations, surging into a 3-0 lead after 25 minutes could not be considered protocol either. As everyone left the pitch, some Israel supporters could be heard chanting “IDF” in support of the Israel Defence Forces, who are involved in what is happening in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the FAI said they have been told by UEFA that confirmed allegations of racism towards the Irish forward Adam Idah cannot be investigated because correct procedure was not followed.

To give a political backdrop and tell the story of the build-up to last night’s game, The Athletic spoke to sources with an understanding of how it played out, who spoke anonymously to protect relationships.

Ireland in a huddle before the game in front of a small section of Israel fans in Hungary Next Sunday, the footballers of Ireland and Israel are due to do this all over again, but in the Serbian countryside.

The Baroque town of Backa Topola is a couple of hours by car from Belgrade; it is awkward to get to by plane, but the gates of the 4,500-capacity stadium will be shut on security grounds anyway.

With Ireland officially the home team, the match should have been in Dublin, that country’s capital. Before a World Cup qualifier there between these countries in 2005, around 200 people marched from the Israeli embassy to the Lansdowne Road stadium to protest against the games.

Across Dublin, you do not have to look too far to find murals and other evidence of support for the Palestinian people. One such image is at Dalymount Park, the home of Bohemians FC. Near the old stadium of “Bohs”, as they are called locally, there is a prominent display by street artist Emmalene Blake.

“Hind’s Wall” is dedicated to Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl who was a few months short of her sixth birthday when she was killed trying to escape Gaza in January 2024, along with five other members of her family. Last month, the Israeli military recommended criminal proceedings against the troops allegedly responsible for the killings.

The story resonated across the world, particularly in Ireland, where some of the population feel solidarity with Palestinians from the sense of what they see as a shared experience of subjugation by an occupying state.

The story resonated across the world, particularly in Ireland, where some of the population feel solidarity with Palestinians from the sense of what they see as a shared experience of subjugation by an occupying state. In Ireland’s case, that was more than 700 years under English and British influence and rule.

Leo Varadkar, the then Taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland, told reporters while visiting the White House in 2024 that Irish people“see our own history in their eyes” when asked about comparisons with Palestinians, describing “a story of displacement, of dispossession, national identity questioned or denied, forced emigration, discrimination, and now, hunger”. The Republic of Ireland became the first member of the European Union to demand an independent Palestinian country in 1980 Alongside Spain and Slovenia, it was among the first European countries to recognise the state of Palestine in 2024.

Then Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on a visit to the White House in 2024 This came after the Israeli response to a devastating attack on October 7 the previous year by Hamas, the Islamic militants who have ruled Gaza since 2007.

Hamas, defined as a terror organisation by the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as other countries, killed close to 1,200 people, while taking more than 250 hostages. One of those was an Irish-Israeli, Emily Hand, who was kidnapped during a sleepover at a friend’s house Varadkar caused revulsion in Israel when he claimed on social media she had been “lost” following her release 50 days later During the same period late in 2023, he described Israel’s military action in Gaza as“something approaching revenge” The war has subsequently seen 73,000 people killed, according to figures from the Gaza Health Ministry and used by the UN. That was the historical background to the decision in February this year for Micheal Martin, Varadkar’s successor, to say the FAI had made the “correct decision” to fulfil the fixture.

Without intervention from the Irish government or the FAI, much of the focus has since fallen on the players and staff. Last Monday, Martin was compelled to defend Heimir Hallgrimsson the Irish team’s head coach, at a United Nations summit in New York, for suggesting “we are playing against genocide”.

In response, the Israeli FA released a statement, directly criticising Hallgrimsson, which said: “We’re not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy, and stupidity. We’re playing against the coach who embodies them.” Martin described the remarks as “unacceptable” and called for them to be withdrawn. “Israel can’t keep denying what the world knows and what the world understands,” he added. That comment by Hallgrimsson was published on the same day more than 160 Irish athletes and sports figures signed off on an open letter to the men’s national team imploring them to boycott these two Nations League games with Israel. One of the signatories was Brian Kerr, a predecessor of Hallgrimsson’s. In 2005, Kerr led Ireland to a 2-2 draw in the aforementioned tie with Israel in Dublin amid protests, though on that occasion, if a boycott was called for, it did not gain much traction.

Republic of Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson The letter signed by Kerr was also supported by Kevin Kilbane, the fourth-most capped player in Irish history, who wrote a scathing column in the Irish Times on the same day, insisting: “Ireland should not play Israel. Not in Dublin, not in Hungary, not in Serbia. Not when Israel is committing genocide.” A letter from the Players’ Football Association Ireland (PFAI) stressed that Irish players had been let down by UEFA, European football’s governing body, and the FAI. The focus, however, would fall more sharply on the players as the days passed and the first of the two games against Israel approached.

Republic of Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson The letter signed by Kerr was also supported by Kevin Kilbane, the fourth-most capped player in Irish history, who wrote a scathing column in the Irish Times on the same day, insisting: “Ireland should not play Israel. Not in Dublin, not in Hungary, not in Serbia. Not when Israel is committing genocide.” A letter from the Players’ Football Association Ireland (PFAI) stressed that Irish players had been let down by UEFA, European football’s governing body, and the FAI. The focus, however, would fall more sharply on the players as the days passed and the first of the two games against Israel approached.

The FAI would reduce media commitments mandated by UEFA to a minimum, with photographers banned from attending training sessions in Dublin last Monday and Tuesday. Protestors from the “Stop the Game” movement broke through the fences at the squad’s base in Castleknock, according to reports in the Irish media before entering the hotel foyer, chanting “Don’t play! Don’t play!”, to the tune of “Ole, Ole”.

Last November, the FAI voted 93 per cent in favour of asking UEFA to suspend Israel from European competition, but by July, 68 per cent of the vote went in favour of fulfilling these fixtures.

In the meantime, a poll conducted by the PFAI found 63 per cent of members who responded opposed the idea, and in February, the Irish Football Supporters’ Partnership revealed that 75.6 per cent of respondents backed a boycott.

The FAI reasoned it could lose up to €10million (£8.6m, $11.4m) through such action It was also worried about losing six points in the Nations League from two of their six group matches and the threat of relegation to its third tier, impacting interest and revenues with the anticipated games against smaller nations as well as potentially reducing Ireland’s seeding.

The FAI reasoned it could lose up to €10million (£8.6m, $11.4m) through such action It was also worried about losing six points in the Nations League from two of their six group matches and the threat of relegation to its third tier, impacting interest and revenues with the anticipated games against smaller nations as well as potentially reducing Ireland’s seeding.

Ireland, who lost their opening game away to Kosovo on Thursday, could finish bottom of their group and avoid relegation through a play-off.

As a co-host for Euro 2028, Ireland have much to gain by qualifying and a lot to lose by not, but changes to UEFA’s rules have increased the possibility they go through. Along with England, Scotland and Wales, the host nations will enter the qualification process, but two places are reserved for host nations that do not progress. This means that as long as two other host nations qualify, Ireland will feature at their home tournament regardless of how they perform.

Though a boycott could present challenges as a host if Israel reach Euro 2028 and are drawn against Ireland, it has not featured in any major competition since 1970. Article 26 of UEFA’s rulebook states it can impose disciplinary measures “deemed appropriate” including “disqualification from the competition” if a member refuses to play a match. If there were FAI concerns about its hosting rights in two years’ time, it has not articulated them.

Article 26 of UEFA’s rulebook states it can impose disciplinary measures “deemed appropriate” including “disqualification from the competition” if a member refuses to play a match. If there were FAI concerns about its hosting rights in two years’ time, it has not articulated them.

Until a few weeks ago, most of the awkward public-facing talk had been left to Hallgrimsson. Only this month, the FAI’s director of football John Martin and chief executive David Courell made it clear during interviews that the decision to proceed was ultimately their call, and by extension the other members of the body’s general assembly.

Hallgrímsson (centre) with David Courell (left) in 2024 Courell also confirmed that UEFA had not explained what a punishment would look like if Ireland pulled out of the fixtures with Israel, admitting the FAI has not been pressured by threats of severe sanctions.

Since 2024, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have been reprimanded by UEFA after each nation refused to play matches in women’s competition and at youth levels against Belarus, a country accused of assisting Russia in the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In each instance, 3-0 defeats were handed down and on one occasion, a €5,000 fine was issued.

Much has been made of UEFA and world football governing body FIFA’s decision to ban Russia, for invading Ukraine, but not Israel, for its military action in Gaza following the October 7 attacks. Both governing bodies lean on their statutes, which state that football associations must stand alone and not be conflated with the interests and interferences of the countries to which they belong.

When Poland, which borders Ukraine and Belarus, refused to play Russia in a World Cup qualification play-offs tie in 2022, they had the support of many European nations. Authorities relied on security concerns as a reason for suspending Russia who, unlike Israel, have not been permitted to play on neutral territory. The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld Poland’s position.

Though there were discussions among European nations about throwing Israel out last year, the seeds of a peace process in the Middle East halted momentum. As it stands, no country has refused to play them.

The FAI would have to go it alone and see who follows, but that has left many in Ireland thinking like Kilbane, who suggested in the same newspaper column mentioned earlier that, “the FAI will forever be mentioned alongside Ed Sheeran and his cowardly refusal to stand with a friend… the decision to move the (Ireland’s home) tie to Serbia represents a new low.” The selection of Serbia for a “home” game by the FAI was also controversial, because it allowed those with longer memories to point towards the fact Ireland did not play the same country (when it was part of the former Yugoslavia) in 1999 because of its attacks on Kosovo, which the UN later called “a systematic campaign of terror, including murders, rapes, arsons and severe maltreatments”.

The FAI would have to go it alone and see who follows, but that has left many in Ireland thinking like Kilbane, who suggested in the same newspaper column mentioned earlier that, “the FAI will forever be mentioned alongside Ed Sheeran and his cowardly refusal to stand with a friend… the decision to move the (Ireland’s home) tie to Serbia represents a new low.” The selection of Serbia for a “home” game by the FAI was also controversial, because it allowed those with longer memories to point towards the fact Ireland did not play the same country (when it was part of the former Yugoslavia) in 1999 because of its attacks on Kosovo, which the UN later called “a systematic campaign of terror, including murders, rapes, arsons and severe maltreatments”.

On that occasion, the Irish government denied entry visas, but the FAI’s chief executive at the time, Bernard O’Byrne, suggested that stands against every country with a dubious human-rights record would leave Ireland’s schedule“considerably curtailed” O’Byrne knew, however, that the government’s position blunted the FAI, and in the end a meagre punishment came its way before the match finally took place three months later — but only after Serbia halted its campaign, which left around 10,000 Kosovar-Albanians dead Ireland’s game in Kosovo on Thursday, which ended in a 1-0 defeat, felt like another warning from history, and it was clear by then that the players were feeling the pressure, or “exposed” as captain Dara O’Shea put it. While winger Chiedozie Ogbene said it was “unfair” for “UEFA to put us in this position”, midfielder Jason Knight became the first Irish player to suggest, “I don’t think the game should be going ahead,” revealing that the squad would “have a deeper talk about it…” the next day.

Ireland captain Dara O’Shea leads his team out in Kosovo on Thursday While Ireland were toiling in Kosovo, Israel’s 3-1 defeat by Austria in Linz the same day was mired in controversy.

After scoring Israel’s equaliser early in the second half, 20-year-old forward Saied Abu Farchi was sent off for a celebration involving one of the corner flags, which the officials interpreted as a rifle gesture. The Israeli FA later appealed, claiming a misunderstanding — Abu Farchi, an Arab-Muslim, was, it said, pretending to use a snooker cue, “like the legendary Ken Doherty”, as he had done previously when playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Super Cup.

That playful comparison jarred, however, especially as it came in a press conference that followed one of the most acrimonious days in Irish football history, where it looked as though last night’s game with Israel might not go ahead. The morning after Ireland’s defeat by Kosovo, the team’s second-choice goalkeeper Bazunu saw Abu Farchi’s celebration, which prompted a ferocious response online. This influenced a tense squad meeting before departure from Pristina for Hungary.

Though a boycott was not on the cards at that point, the flight was delayed after the players went back and forth seeking advice from the FAI about how to handle certain protocols such as handshakes.

It was initially agreed that a statement would be presented on behalf of the players in Debrecen, but only on the condition that everyone was in agreement. Bazunu, however, was unwilling to commit and wanted to sleep on the issue. He arrived on international duty earlier that week without intending to become one of the main figures in all of this, hoping that UEFA or the FAI would step in and take the heat away from players like him.

It was initially agreed that a statement would be presented on behalf of the players in Debrecen, but only on the condition that everyone was in agreement. Bazunu, however, was unwilling to commit and wanted to sleep on the issue. He arrived on international duty earlier that week without intending to become one of the main figures in all of this, hoping that UEFA or the FAI would step in and take the heat away from players like him.

Yet after discussions with his family, Bazunu told Hallgrimsson the next morning that he did not want to play against Israel in either of the fixtures but would stay with the squad for the game in the middle, at home to Austria on Thursday.

Some team-mates were tempted to follow him in his boycott, but it is unclear how many. Bazunu later released a statement that said his “decision is based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong. It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition of Israeli people or the Jewish community but against atrocities in the region”.

In the meantime, the players held other meetings with Hallgrimsson and Courell. Hallgrimsson would come to reflect on the period as the “toughest” days of his coaching career. There was a point on Saturday when he thought the game would get called off.

While everything was kicking off at the team hotel in the centre of Debrecen, a press conference at the stadium was supposed to be taking place. At first, it was delayed for two hours at less than 20 minutes’ notice — with UEFA finding that out at the same time as reporters already in the room.

In the end, the media session went ahead, but nearly five and a half hours late. Hallgrimsson, without protection from his employers, would face questions about Hamas and his decision to work in Qatar for three years from 2018-21, as well as Ireland’s match against Nazi Germany in 1936.

Bazunu chose not to play in the game against Israel Before that, with none of the players present, Courell and Martin offered details behind the delay. Though Bazunu was not named by Courell, he announced that one player had decided not to be involved, before insisting a series of ballots had revealed a “significant majority” of the squad were in favour of playing. When it was put to him by a reporter that the vote was 14 in favour and eight against, he refused to confirm the numbers.

Bazunu chose not to play in the game against Israel Before that, with none of the players present, Courell and Martin offered details behind the delay. Though Bazunu was not named by Courell, he announced that one player had decided not to be involved, before insisting a series of ballots had revealed a “significant majority” of the squad were in favour of playing. When it was put to him by a reporter that the vote was 14 in favour and eight against, he refused to confirm the numbers.

Bazunu was unaware of the ballot and this left him unable to partake. Courell and Hallgrimsson also admitted that the goalkeeper had not been consulted about his views ahead of his arrival, despite conversations with around 30 other players and staff.

Later in the evening, Kerr — having been in contact with Bazunu — described his decision as “heroic” on Virgin Media Sport, suggesting “He’s feeling quite low and shunned.” One player has apologised to Bazunu for the way he spoke to him on Saturday afternoon amid an atmosphere of heightened anxiety and panic.

By Sunday morning, there was also a sense of farce: overnight, the FAI had to Queens Park Rangers defender Jimmy Dunne as a goalkeeper because rules dictate that three goalkeepers must be named in a squad.

Dunne was not wearing gloves as he warmed up on a surreal evening, where a full moon hung almost directly above a 20,000-seater venue with only a few hundred Israelis and a small group of Irish fans watching on after the decision was taken not to issue away tickets.

In the emptiness, you could hear the leather of the players’ boots slapping against the ball and the rigging of the net shaking as it did three times early on, allowing Ireland to take control. Their players performed like they knew they had to win well to justify being here in their own heads, even if a fine victory does not help their reputations back home. That is how messed up everything is.