The Spanish national football team threatened to boycott the 2026 World Cup if Israel qualifies, with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez calling for Israel to be prohibited from competing in international sports competitions on Sept. 15 due to its actions in Gaza. Fearing that Israel could potentially use international platforms to whitewash its image, Sanchez believes that Israel should be given the same treatment as Russia for its invasion of Ukraine three years prior.
“Considering that Spain’s team is considered one of, if not the best, national teams to compete this year, I was looking forward to watching them play in the World Cup this year,” Ryan Sohn (10), varsity soccer member and soccer enthusiast, said. “However, on a political level, I believe that the Spanish government’s decision was brave and correct. Western media portrays Israel as both the victim and aggressor in the war with Palestine, and the lack of definitive answers obliges me to believe that there are truths to both sides.”
Unlike previous editions of the World Cup, next year’s competition will feature 48 teams instead of the usual 32 teams, allowing for more participation from countries around the world. This has increased the likelihood of Israel qualifying for the tournament, as they stand third in their UEFA qualifying group. The Spanish government has expressed its concern regarding Israel’s participation in sporting events, especially after a new UN report revealed that there is reasonable evidence to conclude that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
This could mean that players such as Lamine Yamal, Pedri, and Gavi, all of whom are young prospects of the sport, will potentially not be able to participate in the world’s biggest sports competition next year. FIFA is known to take a firm stance against government interventions in football, often emphasizing the importance of maintaining the sport’s neutrality. Therefore, any action related to boycotting competitions is likely to be met with strong repercussions. The Spanish government has also previously threatened to withdraw entirely from Eurovision if Israel took part. Similarly, the Vuelta a España cycling event was disrupted as a result of pro-Palestine protestors opposing the participation of the Israel-Premier Tech team.
“There is no room for politics in sporting competitions, especially in an event as important as the World Cup,” Edward Yoon (12), politics enthusiast, said. “Young football players spend most of their time training and preparing for the World Cup, and since it is only played once every four years, it does not feel right to take that opportunity away from them simply because of disagreements between national representatives.”
Israel has consistently denied that its actions in Gaza can be considered genocide and justified it as a means of self-defense. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Sanchez’s administration of being antisemitic, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly denied that starvation is taking place in Gaza. However, a UN-backed food monitor, the IPC, confirmed that famine was taking place in certain areas of Gaza; Israel is accused of causing this famine through continuous restrictions on food and medical aid entering the territory.
“A lot of things still have to happen until this becomes an issue,” James Dillhoff, Government and Politics teacher, said. “If the Spanish government is not willing to play, FIFA is going to put a lot of pressure on them to compete, potentially even prohibiting them from participating in future competitions. Therefore, it is too early to tell whether Spain’s stance is finalized, and I hope politics will not be a factor in determining Spain’s decision to participate or not.”
Although the Spanish government’s condemnation of Israel’s actions is an act of promoting the cessation of violence in Gaza, there is controversy regarding the involvement of politics in sporting competitions, further raising concerns about Spain’s potential absence from next year’s World Cup.
