As predictions for the 2026 World Cup final are heavily debated across global sports networks, one thing is for certain: for many fans, the upcoming face-off between Spain and Argentina represents something beyond the beautiful game and national pride.
Through debates on social media, videos and memes, thousands of spectators around the world have expressed that for them, Sunday’s final represents a referendum on political solidarity for Palestine amid Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.
“Pro-Palestine vs Pro-Israel,” said one X user about the match.
As tensions brew before the match, Argentina are facing opposition online from people who perceive the reigning world champions as being associated with Israel due to the countries’ close political relationship.
Argentinian President Javier Milei has declared that he is “sincerely proud to be the most Zionist president in the world”.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a podcast interview last week openly declared his support for Argentina because of Milei, who, he says, “is a great friend of Israel”.
Meanwhile, Israeli politicians took to social media on Wednesday to celebrate Argentina’s semi-final victory over England.
On the other hand, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is widely recognised as one of Europe’s most vocal advocates for Palestine.
Under his leadership, Spain officially recognised the State of Palestine in 2024, implemented an arms embargo on Israel, and consistently demands a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
“Full support to Spain in the World Cup Final” said one user, sharing footage of Sanchez announcing the country’s recognition of Palestine.
On TikTok, one user said: “You have a team that is literally endorsed by Netanyahu… That doesn’t look good… Against the team that is representing the country in Europe that is most outspoken against the genocide in Gaza.
“We were all rooting for Argentina four years ago, but some more fucked up shit happened, and we don’t feel that way anymore.”
A user on X wrote: “This Sunday’s World Cup final is about more than just football.
“It’s a battle between good and evil: between one of the countries that has been among the strongest supporters of Palestine and the world’s most Zionist country, in the words of its own president.”
Some fans go further, pointing to the players themselves.
Several social media users have reshared a viral video of Spain’s football prodigy Lamine Yamal waving the Palestine flag during Barcelona FC’s La Liga championship parade in May, contrasting this with Argentina’s national icon, Lionel Messi, who has not spoken out much about Palestine or Israel.
Others are underlining that the football legend has had brand deals with Israeli firms.
Many fans have also circulated photographs of Barcelona FC’s 2013 “Peace Tour” in Israel and Palestine, where Messi, then a player for the Catalan club, met Netanyahu and Israel’s then president, Shimon Peres, and was photographed at the Western Wall.
While these photographs have been promoted widely by Israeli official channels, prompting a backlash from pro-Palestinian advocates, many fans point out that Messi also visited the occupied West Bank and met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during the same trip, arguing that he should not be held responsible for an official team visit.
Argentina fans and Palestine
Palestine has been at the forefront of many matches during the World Cup.
Notably, some Argentinian fans waved the Israeli flag at Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan, who had celebrated his country’s first World Cup knockout stage by entering the pitch with a Palestinian flag.
During Spain’s 2-0 win over France in the semi-finals, Oscar-winning Spanish actor Javier Bardem was recorded in the stadium accepting a Palestinian flag from a fan.
When handed the flag and asked if he had a message for the people of Palestine, Bardem pressed his hand to his heart and responded: “Existence is resistance.”
“Spain stands with Palestine,” Bardem affirmed in a separate video during the round-of-16 match between Spain and Portugal.
In addition to concerns about Palestine, Argentina have also faced backlash over perceived Fifa bias in favour of them.
The international wave of anger has prompted some Argentinians to take to social media to highlight widespread public solidarity with Palestine and clarify that the president’s stance does not reflect the people’s.
Other Argentina fans have pushed back against what they have called an oversimplification of the final, countering posts supporting Spain with information highlighting that long before Spain, in 2010, Argentina under then president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner recognised Palestine as a “free and independent state”.
“Sport has always been intertwined with politics, and it always will be. But reality is more complex than that,” posted Dyab Abou Jahjah, president of the Hind Rajab Foundation, on Wednesday.
“Argentina is not Israel. Argentina is not Zionist. It cannot be reduced to any ideological camp… On Sunday, I will still be supporting Spain, out of genuine gratitude for that explicit solidarity. But I will not approach the match as a fanatic or an ideologue. If Argentina plays as brilliantly as they did today, they will deserve to win.”
