Football, War, and Solidarity: Why Gazans Root for Spain at the World Cup

Gaza City, Gaza Strip — At a bustling café in Gaza City, football fans gathered around a small screen, leaning against a broken projector, to watch the crucial World Cup match between Spain and Saudi Arabia on Sunday night.

The crowd erupted as 18-year-old Lamine Yamal put Spain ahead in the tenth minute. Three more Spanish goals in the next 35 minutes sealed an easy win for the European powerhouse, delighting those at the makeshift Gaza café.

Saudi Arabia may have close ties to the Palestinians, but the passion for the Spanish team has long roots in Gaza.

However, Palestinian support for Spain at the World Cup goes beyond the team's skill. It is also shaped by Spain’s political and humanitarian stance in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 73,000 Palestinians.

Since the war erupted in October 2023, Spain has been one of the strongest European advocates for Gazans and a vocal critic of Israel.

Mohammad Attallah, 43, a lawyer from Gaza City, told Al Jazeera he had followed Spanish football for years. But when the war broke out and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his country’s support for Gaza, his love for La Roja (the Spanish national team’s nickname) took on new meaning.

“We are a people who love life and football. Many here have followed La Liga and the Spanish national team for years, but Spain’s stance during the war makes people feel much closer,” Attallah said.

Several Spanish moves have resonated deeply with Palestinians, including Barcelona star Lamine Yamal’s show of solidarity with Palestine, Spain’s recognition of the State of Palestine in 2024, and official Spanish positions on the war — including King Felipe VI’s call for Israel to stop “abominable acts” in Gaza.

“We are proud of everyone who has stood with the Palestinians in these circumstances. That is why many here support Spain — not just for football, but for these humanitarian stances,” he added. “We want Spain to win and we support them strongly, but in the end, we also respect the Saudi team,” he said with a smile.

Throughout the café, fans repeatedly cited Spain’s political stance as a factor driving their support for the national team. Hani Abu Rizq, 32, described the cheers for Spain in Gaza City as a reflection of Palestinians’ determination to hold onto life despite the war.

For him, watching football is one of the few ways to escape the pressures of daily life in Gaza, yet politics still seeps into the beautiful game there. “We want to show the world that the people of Gaza love life and sports, despite all the destruction and hardship around us,” Abu Rizq said. “The impact of pro-Palestinian stances — whether from the Spanish government or from athletes — cannot be ignored.”

When Lamine Yamal raised the Palestinian flag during Barcelona’s La Liga victory celebrations last month, Palestinians saw it as a gesture of solidarity with Gaza’s sports community, which has been battered by attacks since October 2023.

“Many football players who were stars in local leagues have been forced to take other jobs after stadiums were destroyed and sports activities halted,” he said.

Despite that, Palestinians in Gaza have held onto their love of football. Frequent power and internet outages grind down daily life, but they still find time to gather at cafés to watch matches together.

“Major sporting events remain an opportunity for Palestinians to remind the world of their plight and prolonged suffering, just as happened at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Palestine was heavily present in the stands and among fans,” Abdullah Masoud said.

While for many in Gaza football is an escape from pain and frustration, Abdullah Masoud said the Spain-Saudi Arabia match also offered a chance to acknowledge Spain’s solidarity with Palestinians. “We in Gaza have suffered so much from the siege and war. This tournament gives us a chance to experience moments of relative normalcy. We love football as much as any other people, and we once hoped to see Palestine compete in the World Cup,” he said.

“We don’t forget the stances we witnessed during the war, whether from Spanish officials or sports figures like Lamine Yamal when he raised the Palestinian flag in front of the world.”

Palestinians said their decisions on whom to support at this year’s World Cup are guided by that country’s stance on the genocide in Gaza — even when that team faces an Arab side. “We value everyone who has stood with the people of Gaza. They may not speak our language, but their humanitarian stance reaches us more than any other people in the world. That is why many here feel close to them,” Masoud said. “Whenever Palestine appears in stadiums or among supporters, we feel that our suffering is not forgotten and that there are still people listening to our voices.”