🇪🇸 Spain face calls to boycott 2026 World Cup if Israel play | OneFootball

Could there be a World Cup without Spain? If Israel participates, it could be a possibility. That’s what has been implied by the words of the spokesperson for the Socialist Group in Congress, Patxi López, who stated that “at the appropriate time” the possibility of Spain not attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be considered if Israel participates.

The position of the Spanish government comes amid the ongoing debate about Israel’s participation in international sporting competitions, a debate that has resurfaced strongly in Spain in recent days. During a press conference in Congress, López urged sports organizations to “exclude” Israel from competitions, similar to what was done with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

The Socialist spokesperson emphasized that they will ask the organizations that decide on the participation of countries to veto Israel. But does that include Spain withdrawing from competitions for which it qualifies, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup? “That’s what we’re doing now, we’ll consider it later,” he said when asked about the potential withdrawal of Spain from the World Cup.

Can Israel qualify for the next World Cup?

In sporting terms, Israel is fully in the fight to qualify for the next FIFA World Cup. The Israeli team shares a group with Italy, Norway, Estonia, and Moldova, and is in third place with 9 points after five matches played, which currently leaves them out of direct qualification and also out of the playoffs.

However, they are very close to the Italian team. Just a week ago, Gennaro Gattuso’s side struggled to beat them (4-5) in a match that was decided in the final moments. With Norway as the clear leader of the group and with qualification within their grasp, the fight for a playoff spot will be between Italy and Israel.

The two teams will face each other next October 14 in Udine. A match that could determine the future of both teams for the next World Cup... and, it seems, also that of Spain.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 NIKOLAY DOYCHINOV - AFP or licensors