DEBRECEN, Hungary – Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has withdrawn from the national team squad ahead of their upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Israel, citing his personal faith and moral conviction against the killing of innocent civilians in the Middle East, international sports correspondents monitored in Debrecen on Saturday evening, September 26, 2026.
The 24-year-old Southampton shot-stopper informed head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson and his international teammates late on Friday night in Debrecen that he would not make himself available for selection for Sunday’s fixture at the Nagyerdei Stadion, nor for the return fixture scheduled for October 4 behind closed doors at the TSC Arena in Bačka Topola, Serbia.
Okay News reports that Bazunu’s principled stance triggered several hours of emergency deliberations inside the team hotel involving the players, technical staff, and senior Football Association of Ireland executives, resulting in the indefinite postponement of the team’s scheduled morning press conference and training session.
Following extensive internal discussions, the playing squad conducted a secret ballot to determine whether the entire national team should stage a collective boycott of the fixture, with former Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr reporting on Virgin Media that the dressing room voted 14-8, excluding Bazunu, to fulfill the match obligations.
Confirming the resolution to reporters on Saturday afternoon, FAI Chief Executive Officer David Courell stated that a significant majority of the squad resolved to proceed with the fixture, noting that while the association respects Bazunu’s personal decision to depart the camp, the team remains bound by UEFA competition frameworks.
In a personal statement published across his verified social media accounts shortly after his departure, Bazunu outlined the moral and spiritual considerations underpinning his refusal to participate.
“Representing my country means everything to me,” Bazunu stated. “I have the utmost respect for every single one of my team-mates, the manager, his staff and the Irish people. However I have reached a decision that I have not taken lightly. I am a man of strong faith and try my best to be a person of character and principle therefore I feel it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel.”
The Dublin-born goalkeeper clarified that his decision was not driven by ethnic or religious animus, but by an individual stand against the loss of civilian lives during the conflict in Gaza.
“My decision is based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong,” Bazunu explained. “It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition of the Israeli people or the Jewish community but against the atrocities in the region. There are few times where you get a chance in life to stand up for something bigger and I strongly believe this is one of them.”
The withdrawal unfolds against intense public scrutiny in Dublin, where more than 160 Irish Olympic and elite sports figures had signed an open petition calling on the FAI to refuse to take the field against Israel, recalling that the Irish football governing body had voted last year to lobby UEFA for Israel’s suspension from continental competitions.
With Bazunu back in the United Kingdom, Hallgrímsson is expected to hand the starting goalkeeper jersey to Caoimhín Kelleher or Mark Travers for Sunday’s encounter in Hungary, with team officials confirming that the Irish squad will wear black armbands during the match as a symbolic mark of solemnity.
