Republic of Ireland captain Nathan Collins has confirmed no player will be prevented from taking a stand against Nations League fixtures with Israel scheduled for 27 September and 4 October. Speaking before Thursday's friendly with Qatar in Dublin, Collins said: "If individuals wanted to take a stand, we are not going to stand against them, we are not going to hold them back."

The matches have drawn significant criticism, with protest group Irish Sport For Palestine calling for a boycott citing what it describes as breaches of Uefa and Fifastatutes. A protest took place outside the Dáil this week, while the FAI has warned that refusal to play could result in disciplinary measures including potential disqualification from the competition. Collins added: "For players we just have to trust the FAI. We have to trust the government that they know what they're doing."

The 25-year-old Brentford defender will lead Ireland against Qatar on Thursday (19:45 BST) before facing World Cup co-hosts Canada in Montreal on 6 June. Collins admitted to a difficult Premier League season where Brentford narrowly missed European qualification, though he started all but six of their league games. "I still get to represent my country," he said. "I still get to walk out with the green shirt on."