Spanish government officials have suggested they could pull their national team out of the 2026 World Cup.
World football’s biggest tournament will take place once again next summer in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, the first time the competition has been hosted by three different nations.
European champions Spain are the bookmakers’ early favourites to win and are on course to book their place at the tournament, having taken two wins from two at the start of qualifying.
But there are now suggestions that Luis de la Fuente’s side could withdraw from the World Cup in protest if Israel also qualifies for the tournament.
Israel are currently third in their qualifying group but have a real chance of securing at least a play-off spot. They are currently six points behind group leaders Norway but level on points with second place Italy, with three games remaining.
Only the group winner qualifies for the World Cup automatically, with second place potentially securing a play-off spot depending on results in other groups.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called for Israel to be excluded from international sports competitions over its actions in Gaza.
Earlier this week, Sanchez said Israel should be treated in the same way as Russia, which was banned from international competition by FIFA and UEFA following its invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in 2022.
“Israel cannot continue to use any international platform to whitewash its image,” Sanchez told representatives of his Socialist Workers’ Party.
Could Spain boycott the 2026 World Cup?
A spokesperson for the Socialist Group in Spanish Congress, Patxi Lopez, has suggested the Spanish government could vote to boycott the next World Cup if Israel qualify and are allowed to compete.
Echoing Sanchez’s comments, Lopez called on sports associations to “exclude” Israel from competitions, as was done with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.
When asked if Spain would withdraw if Israel were allowed to compete at the World Cup, Lopez said (via COPE) “we’ll consider it later” and that a request could be made “at the appropriate time” if no action is taken against Israel.
-Agencies
