With just 18 countries qualified out of 48, the prospect of a boycott by one of the tournament’s strongest contenders has thrown a shadow over what should be a historic, expanded World Cup.
Nine countries have previously withdrawn from the tournament over political, financial, or organisational disputes
A boycott by the one-time winners would be the first high-profile withdrawal from the FIFA World Cup in decades.
European champions Spain have threatened to boycott the 2026 FIFA World Cup if Israel is allowed to participate
Spain could become the latest country to boycott a FIFA World Cup, joining a rare but dramatic list of countries that have pulled out of football’s biggest event.
The 2026 tournament will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with the reigning European champions, La Roja, the early favourites
According to GOAL, Spain’s participation in the World Cup is now uncertain for political reasons, after stern warnings that they would withdraw if FIFA permitted Israel to compete.
With just 18 countries qualified out of 48, the prospect of a boycott by one of the tournament’s strongest contenders has thrown a shadow over what should be a historic, expanded World Cup.
Spain’s strong start to the qualifiers has made them one of the favourites for the 2026 World Cup, but their latest stance could mean fans might not see them in North America.
If Spain does so, this would be a high-profile absence, recalling moments in football history when countries withdrew over political, financial, or organisational disputes.
Uruguay staged the first major World Cup protest in 1934, refusing to defend their crown in Italy as payback for European nations snubbing the tournament held in the South American nation in 1930.
England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland also opted out that year, claiming their own Home Championship (a former competition in the UK with 100 years of history) was superior to FIFA’s tournament.
Argentina joined Uruguay in boycotting the 1938 World Cup after FIFA awarded the hosting rights to France instead of alternating back to South America.
In 1950, India famously withdrew despite qualifying automatically, citing lack of preparation and finances rather than the long-rumoured ‘barefoot ban’.
The 1974 case of the USSR was very dramatic, as they refused to play a decisive qualifier match in Chile after General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte’s coup.
As reported by the New York Times previously, the South American country advanced to the tourney by default after ‘scoring’ against an empty net.
Perhaps the boldest statement came in 1966 when every African country withdrew from qualifying, according to YEN.com.gh, after FIFA refused to grant the continent a guaranteed place at the tournament.
The boycott forced the world football body to review its representation model, paving the way for more African participation in future tournaments and allowing for moments like Morocco’s semi-final run.
More recently, Russia has remained suspended from FIFA competitions (and other sports) since 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine, continuing the long history of politics affecting football’s global stage.
