A selection of Palestinian footballers took on a group of Spanish players from the Basque Country on Saturday in a friendly match with political overtones related to Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Organizers said around 50,000 spectators had tickets for the match at San Mames Stadium, home of Athletic Bilbao.
Many fans waved Palestinian flags and those of the northern Basque Country region. Before the match, several thousand people also marched with flags.
Spain has seen large protests against Israel’s military response to the October 2023 Hamas attack.
Bilbao was the site of the first of a series of major protests against an Israeli-owned cycling team during the Spanish Vuelta in September.
The Basque team included players from Athletic and Real Sociedad, along with other professional teams. None of the Spanish footballers were available as they were playing a World Cup qualifier.
The Palestinian team will also face a selection of players from the Spanish region of Northeast Catalonia in Barcelona on Tuesday.
Published on November 16, 2025
