Palestine's defender #18 Ali Rabaei carries a banner reading "thank you Basque Country" as he and teammates acknowledge the fans at the end of the friendly football match between Basque Country and Palestine at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao on November 15, 2025. AFP
Organizers said some 50,000 spectators had tickets for the match at San Mames Stadium, the home of Athletic Bilbao.
Many fans waved Palestinian flags, and flags of the northern Basque Country region. Several thousand people also marched with flags before the game, held in solidarity with Palestinians.
Spain has seen major protests against Israel’s genocidal war and blockade of Gaza that have killed over 69,000 Palestinians and sparked famine in the territory.
Bilbao was the site of the first of a series of large protests against an Israeli-owned cycling team at the Spanish Vuelta in September.
The Basque team included players from Athletic and Real Sociedad, along with other professional sides. None of Spain's footballers were available because they were playing a World Cup qualifier.
The Palestinian team will also take on a selection of players from Spain's northeastern Catalonia region in Barcelona on Tuesday.
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