The 42 is committed to telling the full story of Irish sport. While we are a sports publication, Ireland’s upcoming Uefa Nations League fixtures against Israel cannot be covered as normal sporting events.

These matches cannot be isolated from the context in which they are taking place: Israel’s war in Gaza, designated as a genocide by a United Nations commission of inquiry, and the devastating humanitarian crisis that it continues to cause in the region; Uefa’s decision not to impose sporting sanctions on the Israeli Football Association; and the Football Association of Ireland’s decision to fulfil the fixtures.

Some Irish sports journalists will register their opposition to these games through a boycott. While fully understanding our colleagues’ decisions, we believe it is also legitimate to treat these matches primarily as significant news stories. On that basis, it is our responsibility to travel to Hungary and Serbia to witness, ask questions, and accurately report on events first-hand.

This focus on news reporting ahead of sports reporting will be reflected in The 42’s coverage across this international window.