Bohs call on UEFA to slap ban on Israel

Bohemian FC are spearheading a call to have Israel banned from European football following a UN commission’s recent finding that Israeli authorities have committed genocide in the Gaza Strip.

The fan-owned Northside club along with non-profits FairSquare and Irish Sport for Palestine have written to UEFA calling for Israel’s immediate suspension from UEFA competitions.

The letter to UEFA President Aleksander ?eferin argues that Israel has violated UEFA and FIFA regulations by allowing its domestic league clubs from illegal West Bank settlements to play on Palestinian Football Association territory and failing to tackle persistent anti-Palestinian racism from supporter groups.

The demand to suspend the Israeli Football Association (IFA) is framed against the UN’s finding of genocide in Gaza and the letter argues the alleged rule breaches cannot be “delinked” from the crisis.

“Rules exist to protect fairness and ensure basic decency,” a spokesperson for Bohs said.

“UEFA can and should suspend the IFA with immediate effect. By not doing so they are not only doing a grave disservice to football, but also to the core principles of humanity itself.”

FairSquare, a global sports governance non-profit that holds organisations like UEFA to account for enforcing their own rules, said the horrific images and stories from Gaza make the “moral and ethical case for the suspension of Israeli teams”.

“There are also clear and straightforward statutory rules that give FIFA and UEFA cause to act,” its statement continued. “They each possess influence and responsibility to apply meaningful pressure and should do so immediately.”

Irish Sport for Palestine, which is backed by Shels boss Joey O’Brien and Ireland international James McClean, said in a statement that supporters across Europe deserved a voice on the issue.

“We’re building a law-anchored, democratic pathway – through national FAs to UEFA – to ensure football does not look away and encourage clubs, fan groups and national associations to do likewise,” the statement said.

UEFA recently highlighted the protection of children and civilians affected by war at the 2025 UEFA Super Cup in Italy.

A pitch-side banner reading ‘Stop Killing Children. Stop Killing Civilians’ was displayed during the match and two Palestinian children from Gaza who were receiving medical treatment in Italy participated in the post-match medal ceremony alongside UEFA President Aleksander ?eferin.

However, UEFA has so far not budged on growing pressure to suspend Israel, including a Spanish government statement that it would consider boycotting the 2026 World Cup if Israel qualifies.

Former football legends including Gary Lineker and Eric Cantona have lent their support to campaigns calling for a boycott.

Speaking at the recent ‘Together for Palestine’ concert in London, Cantona drew a direct comparison between the Gaza situation and the swift suspension of Russia in 2022.

“Four days after Russia started the war in Ukraine, FIFA and UEFA suspended Russia,” Cantona said. “We are now 716 days into what has been called a genocide. And yet, Israel continues to be allowed to participate.”

The coalition behind last week’s letter to UEFA also wants to empower supporters and clubs to use the democratic structures of football to press for action.

In Ireland, this will begin with lobbying for a motion at the forthcoming FAI General Assembly, seeking to mandate the Association to bring forward a motion for the suspension of Israel to UEFA’s Executive Committee.

Bohemians are no strangers to humanitarian campaigns and have backed numerous causes including climate justice, the rights of asylum seekers, homelessness, and prisoner rehabilitation.

In May 2024, the club hosted the first European fixture for a Palestinian national team, when the Bohs women’s team played a friendly against the Palestinian National Women’s Team.

In 2023 Bohs released a special away jersey in partnership with Sport for Life Palestine to raise funds for children’s sport in the city of Tulkarem in the West Bank.

This year the club collaborated with the band Fontaines DC on a third jersey to raise money for Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). Bohs fans also displayed red cards during their home match against Drogheda United in support of the ‘Show Israel the Red Card’ campaign initiated by Celtic supporters.