Reports on Wednesday revealed that Spain are considering withdrawing from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
According to SportBible, the Spanish national team may boycott the tournament if Israel qualify.
The move comes amid the ongoing war on Gaza and growing calls in Spain to bar Israel from international sporting events.
Patxi López, spokesperson for Spain’s ruling Socialist Workers’ Party, stated that the government could vote in favor of boycotting the World Cup should Israel take part, citing the country’s military actions in Gaza.
Lopez revealed that Spain will evaluate the situation at the right time, especially if no measures are taken against Israel’s national team.
He also stressed that Spain would urge the International Olympic Committee and FIFA to follow the precedent set against Russia, which was banned from international competitions after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
So far, neither FIFA nor UEFA has issued a comment on Spain’s potential withdrawal if Israel’s membership is not suspended.
Spain also indicated that they will boycott the next edition of the Eurovision Song Contest if Israel participate, joining countries such as Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands in calls for exclusion.
Follow the latest news on Google News
