LONDON: Palestine have played their first football match on European soil since FIFA recognized the national squad in 1998.

The side played a friendly match against the Basque Country team at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain, on Saturday, in front of 50,000 spectators. The Basque team won 3-0.

Palestinian officials described the occasion as “historic” and “a powerful display of solidarity,” as it reflected the growing international support for the Palestinian cause amid the ongoing atrocities in the Gaza Strip, reported the Palestine News Agency.

Fans cheered pro-Palestine chants, waved Palestinian flags, and honored Suleiman Al-Obeid, the former captain of Palestine’s national team who was killed in Gaza in August while waiting for humanitarian aid.

The Basque Country team, officially called Euskadi, appeared at the start accompanied by children, while the Palestinians carried white roses in memory of children killed by the Israelis in Gaza.

International bodies have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, where about 70,000 Palestinians have died since Oct. 7, 2023, the majority of them women and children.

The Palestinian players held a banner before the match that read “Stop Genocide.” Fans then chanted their support for Palestinians and their right to live in peace, dignity, and freedom, added WAFA.