Gaza cheers for Spain as World Cup final anticipation mounts

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that many football fans in the Gaza Strip are rallying behind Spain ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final against Argentina, with supporters linking their preference to Spanish political and sporting gestures of solidarity with Palestinians. The report, published from Gaza City on July 19, 2026, highlights fans such as Ahmed al-Bozm, who said Spain’s stance on Palestine shaped his support for La Roja.

The article cites Spain’s May 2024 recognition of the State of Palestine and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid as major reasons for the sentiment. It also notes the influence of Spanish-linked sporting figures, including Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, who displayed a Palestinian flag during a club celebration, and Pep Guardiola, whose public comments have resonated in Gaza.

Al Jazeera describes football life in Gaza as severely constrained after more than two years of Israeli attacks, with electricity shortages, scarce fuel and damaged or inaccessible stadiums limiting people’s ability to watch and play. Former footballer and stadium manager Adnan al-Afifi has helped organise World Cup-themed exhibition matches at the Palestine Sports Club in Gaza City, including symbolic games involving teams representing Palestine and Spain.

The report also features Gaza’s amputee football team and its coach, Hatem al-Maghribi, who said gestures of support from abroad carry emotional weight for players and fans living through war and displacement. While several Gaza fans predicted or hoped for a Spain victory, al-Afifi stressed that backing Spain was not meant as hostility toward Argentina, which he described as a respected footballing nation.