McLean joins campaign to boycott Israel: Ireland knows what persecution means; the match must not go ahead

Irish footballer James McLean has added his voice to the sporting and political calls to boycott Ireland’s matches against Israel in the UEFA Nations League.

According to a report published by The42ie, McLean, a Derry City player with 103 caps for the Republic of Ireland, criticised what he described as a lack of “courage” on the part of the Football Association of Ireland in dealing with the issue, arguing that the decision to play the match should not be left to the players.

McLean said in comments posted on his Instagram account that the players find themselves in a difficult position, given that representing the national team is an important opportunity for any player, but he stressed at the same time that:

the match should never have been played.

The Irish player added referring to the country’s political history and conflicts:

If there is one country that should understand the meaning of oppression and the suffering it causes, it is Ireland.

McLean’s comments come after the disclosure of an open letter sent by a group called “Stop The Game” to the Football Association of Ireland, calling on it to boycott the two matches against Israel in the UEFA Nations League.

Calls on Ireland to boycott the match with ‘Israel’

The Republic of Ireland and Israel are scheduled to meet twice in the 2026 UEFA Nations League, with the first fixture taking place on 27 September and the return leg on 4 October in the Irish capital, Dublin, amid growing political and sporting controversy in Ireland over calls to boycott the matches.

The list of signatories to the letter included a number of prominent figures in Irish football, amongst them Shamrock Rovers captain Roberto López, Bohemians player Dawson Devoy, St Patrick’s Athletic’s Joe Redmond, and Waterford’s Padraig Amond.

According to the report, the letter cited what it described as “ongoing violations” of European and international football regulations due to the participation of Israeli clubs on occupied Palestinian territory, as well as allegations of “apartheid and acts of genocide”.

In contrast, the Football Association of Ireland continues to reject calls for a boycott, justifying its position by citing its commitment to UEFA regulations and warning that failing to play the match could expose the national team to sporting sanctions, including relegation in the UEFA Nations League, as well as affecting its world ranking and chances of qualifying for future tournaments.

Sinn Fein complementary scarf

In a related development, Lynn Boylan, a Member of the European Parliament for the Sinn Féin, launched a special scarf for supporters of the Irish national team to express their opposition to the match against Israel.

Boylan presented the first scarf to Joanna Byrne, the former chair of Drogheda United, who was sacked from her post earlier this year after calling for a boycott of the match.

Boylan said that UEFA had previously taken the decision to ban Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, arguing that the time had come to take a similar stance towards Israel due to what she described as “the ongoing events in Gaza and the West Bank”.

Featured image via AlJazeera