Nine Countries Have Withdrawn From World Cup Finals as Spain Consider Boycott
- European champions Spain have threatened to boycott the 2026 FIFA World Cup if Israel is allowed to participate
- Nine countries have previously withdrawn from the tournament over political, financial, or organisational disputes
- A Spain boycott would mark the first high-profile withdrawal from the World Cup in decades
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, and Spain, who are the reigning European champions, are early favourites.
Source: Getty Images
But their participation at the World Cup is now uncertain for political reasons after warnings that they will withdraw if FIFA permits Israel to compete, GOAL reports.
With just 18 countries already qualified for the 48-team tournament, 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 threatens World Cup boycott
Spain’s strong start to the qualifiers has made them one of the top favourites for the 2026 World Cup, but their latest stance could mean fans never see them in North America.
The Spanish FA’s warning comes amid political tensions, and if enforced, it would mark the first major World Cup boycott in decades, GiveMeSport reports.
For Spain, this would be a high-profile absence, recalling moments in football history when countries withdrew over political, financial, or organisational disputes.
Famous boycotts in World Cup history
Uruguay staged the first major World Cup protest in 1934, refusing to defend their crown in Italy as payback for European nations snubbing the inaugural tournament in 1930.
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England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland also opted out that year, claiming their own Home Championship was superior to FIFA’s competition.
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 remains one of the most dramatic, as they refused to play their decisive match in Chile following General Pinochet’s coup. Chile advanced by default after “scoring” against an empty net.
Africa withdrew from the 1966 tournament
Perhaps the boldest statement came in 1966 when every African country withdrew from qualifying, according to YEN.com.gh.
Their protest was against FIFA’s refusal to grant Africa a guaranteed place at the tournament.
The boycott forced FIFA to review its representation model, paving the way for more African participation in future tournaments.
More recently, Russia has remained suspended from FIFA competitions since 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine, continuing the long history of politics shaping football’s global stage.
How Nigeria can qualify for World Cup
In another development, Legit.ng reported that Nigeria’s chance of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is hanging by a thread, after another poor result all but ended the little hope of many die-hard fans.
The 1-1 draw against South Africa in Bloemfontein left the Super Eagles in third place in Group C, six points behind Bafana Bafana with just two matches to go.
Source: Legit.ng
