Republic of Ireland midfielder Jason Knight has said he believes Sunday’s match against Israel should not go ahead, making him the first Irish player to publicly oppose the fixture. The comments come amid growing calls in Ireland to withdraw from the games because of the continuing war in Gaza.

The match will be played in Debrecen, Hungary, at 19:45 BST without Irish supporters present, with the return fixture scheduled for Serbia on 4 October behind closed doors. Ireland’s players are due to discuss their position, including possible consequences, after a 1-0 defeat by Kosovo; Knight has 44 international caps and said he would share his views while trying to focus on football.