Israel game should not go ahead, says Republic of Ireland's Jason Knight

Jason Knight has become the first Republic of Ireland player to publicly oppose his nation's scheduled Group B3 match against Israel in Debrecen, Hungary on Sunday, saying the fixture "should not be going ahead" after the squad's 1-0 defeat by Kosovo in Pristina on Thursday.

Knight, who made his Republic of Ireland debut in 2020 and has won 44 caps, spoke amid growing calls in Ireland to withdraw from the tie and a 'Stop The Game' campaign that has gathered pace; the sides meet in Debrecen at 19:45 BST, with the return fixture in Backa Topola, Serbia on 4 October, and the Hungary match will have no Irish fans in attendance ahead of a behind‑closed‑doors game the following week.

Republic stand‑in skipper Dara O'Shea confirmed players would meet on Friday to discuss their approach to Sunday's 'home' match against Israel, a statement given before Thursday's 1-0 defeat by Kosovo in Pristina.

"Look, it's difficult, the manager, and Dara, and Nathan [Collins] spoke well about it, I don't think the game should be going ahead but it is going ahead," Knight said following the Kosovo game.

"We had chats about it with the players, and more senior players on what the step will be," added Bristol City midfielder Knight. "Now we're here, we can have a really in depth talk of what that means and what the consequences are. We'll do that [on Friday] and go from there."

Knight also addressed his own mindset and preparation, saying: "I have been focusing on my football in England in the Championship. But I knew this was coming so I had a think about it." He added: "I am quite experienced. None of us have gone through this scenario before but I'd like to think I'm experienced, thick skin and can get through most things and that is what I will try and do. I'll try and focus on the football as much as I can. I'll give my view and my thoughts on when I see fit, but I'll be trying to focus on the football as much as possible."

The article notes the wider context: "The armed Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a massive military offensive in Gaza, during which more than 73,000 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations (UN)."

The immediate next step is the players' Friday meeting to decide their stance, after which the squad will prepare for the scheduled match in Debrecen at 19:45 BST on Sunday.