Spain’s government has warned that their national football team might not take part in the 2026 World Cup if Israel manages to qualify.

Patxi Lopez, a spokesperson for Spain’s Socialist Workers’ Party, said the country would “look into the matter” if such a situation happens.

This comes after a United Nations (UN) commission of inquiry recently ruled that Israel committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel has not played in a World Cup since 1970. However, they still have a chance to qualify for the next tournament, which will include more teams. Currently, Israel sits in third place in their UEFA qualifying group, level on points with Italy, who are in the play-off spot, though Israel has played one more game than the Italians.

Speaking on the matter, Lopez said: “We will assess the situation at the right time. What we want is for people to see that if Israeli teams cannot join sports competitions or even Eurovision, then many are beginning to open their eyes.”