The Spanish national team, which won the World Cup final on Sunday night following a 1–0 victory over Argentina, received widespread congratulations across the Arab world, including from terrorist organizations.
Foreign Hamas senior official Basem Naim said to the press, "We congratulate Spain on its sweeping victory in the soccer World Cup. We congratulate Palestine and its supporters in their joy, even if the victory merely annoys the Zionists and their relatives". Among the Houthis, spokesman Nasr al-Din Amer mocked, "Even in sports, whoever the Israeli enemy supports loses, and whoever stands against it wins. Congratulations to Spain, which holds an honorable stance supporting Gaza and opposing the Israeli enemy, on the World Cup". Both terror organizations limited their comments to unofficial statements.
فرحة أهالي #غزة بعد تسجيل المنتخب #الإسباني الهدف الأول خلال نهائي كأس العالم لكرة القدم 2026 pic.twitter.com/LStLNztGcE
— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) July 19, 2026
During the night, large crowds of Palestinians gathered in the Gaza Strip to watch the match on large screens set up in various public squares. Following Spain's victory, the crowd cheered joyfully and waved Spanish flags.
Celebrations also erupted in Egypt following the defeat of Argentina, which had eliminated the Egyptian national team in the round of 16. "They took revenge on behalf of the Egyptian national team," an Egyptian artist said regarding the match. Many Egyptians who watched the World Cup also celebrated Spain's victory there.
