Drogheda United co-chairperson Joanna Byrne is resisting calls to resign after the club's board told her her role was 'no longer tenable' following her criticism of Ireland's Nations League fixtures against Israel. Byrne, who is also a Teachta Dala for Louth and Sinn Fein's spokesperson on sport, stated she was 'angry and dismayed' that Ireland would play Israel while 'a genocide against the Palestinian people continues.'

The League of Ireland club, owned by the American-based Trivela Group, released a statement saying no changes have been made to the board and that concerns were about Byrne's criticism of UEFA and the FAI, not her political views. The club emphasized that Byrne's comments about Israel violated FIFA's code of ethics and UEFA statutes regarding neutrality. Byrne countered that expressing a moral view shared by most Irish football fans should not warrant removal from her position.

This dispute comes after the FAI voted in November to submit a motion to UEFA to ban Israel from competitions, citing violations including organizing clubs in illegal settlements and failing to enforce anti-racism policies. Sullivan and Lambe, Drogheda's principal sponsor since 2025, expressed support for Byrne and announced they would 'actively review' their sponsorship position, stating they are 'deeply disappointed' by the club's approach and concerned about the precedent it sets.