Final preparations ahead of controversial Israel match

Final preparations are under way in the Hungarian city of Debrecen ahead of the Republic of Ireland's controversial football game against Israel.

It comes after a dramatic day yesterday which saw sub goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu pulling out of the squad over Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Just hours to go before kickoff and the streets of Debrecen show very few signs of the extraordinary tension surrounding tonight’s match.

A limited number of fans are expected to attend the match in the 20,000-capacity stadium.

The FAI had previously confirmed that there would be no tickets sold to Republic of Ireland supporters.

Around 150 tickets have been sold to Israeli fans, according to the country's football association.

Several Irish fans have travelled to Debrecen, however, and they have told RTÉ News that tickets they had obtained through the Israeli FA were cancelled late last night.

Some of them said they had wanted to attend the game just to support the Irish players.

One player who will not be in the team is Gavin Bazunu, who announced his withdrawal over Israel's actions in Gaza.

Defender Jimmy Dunne has now been listed as Ireland's third registered goalkeeper.

Yesterday's Republic of Ireland press conference was significantly delayed after Bazunu said he did not want to play the match, and a vote among players on whether to do so.

In a statement today, Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman said: "The entire FAI senior management and board need to consider their position. They have catastrophically mismanaged this situation from the outset.

"Rather than listen to and understand the mood of football fans, they have outsourced the decision to play onto the individual consciences of the players.

"It is massively unfair to put this call on the shoulders of young players at the beginning of their careers. Making players vote the day before a match only divides the team."

Yesterday, Opposition parties called on Government to intervene to stop the UEFA Nations League football match due to the "unfair pressure players and management are currently under".

Labour TD Ciarán Ahern and Social Democrats TD Daniel Ennis made the request in separate statements yesterday afternoon, after the significantly delayed FAI press conference.

In a statement yesterday evening, the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport repeated the Government's position that the FAI and other sporting bodies are independent and have made their own decision to complete the fixtures against Israel.

"The Government has consistently stated that National Governing Bodies of sport, such as the FAI, are independent, autonomous bodies responsible for the governance of their own sports, including the organisation of sporting fixtures, whether in domestic or international competitions.

"The international sporting federations, in this case, UEFA, have a leadership role for their sport, and it is at this level that that these decisions should be taken.

"The FAI had decided to play the fixtures against Israel in accordance with their obligations as members of UEFA. Following engagement with players today decision stands.

"The FAI has strongly represented the views of its membership that Israel should be excluded from international football competitions, including bringing a motion to UEFA to this effect last year.

"The reality is that this motion was not passed by UEFA and that the FAI was obliged to fulfil the fixture."

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