NEW YORK, USA – Zain Limawi says he’s not much of a soccer fan, but when asked where he’d like to play the FIFA World Cup finals, he blurts out, “Spain.”
“There’s no need to finish the question,” the 72-year-old told Al Jazeera.
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Sitting behind a Palestinian flag in his office in New York’s Bay Ridge neighborhood, Rimawi said soccer cannot be separated from politics.
“We stand with the countries that support our cause, especially the Palestinian cause,” added Rimawi, who is president of the nonprofit Arab American Federation.
His support for Spain, which faces Argentina for soccer’s most prized trophy on Sunday, resonates with the sentiments of many in the large Arab-American community.
Here, Palestinian emblems such as graffiti, keffiyeh patterns, embroidered tatoris and watermelons appear almost everywhere.
Although the neighborhood is affectionately known as Little Palestine, it is actually a melting pot of Arab-American and immigrant communities from around the world.
World Cup fever is running high in Bay Ridge, as the finals will be held in neighboring New Jersey.
Palestinian restaurants, Yemeni cafes, Lebanese grocery stores and corner stores all display the flags of the participating teams.
Although the tournament was a football extravaganza, Limawi called it a “political summit.”
Spain, which recognized a Palestinian state in 2024 and has been a vocal critic of Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, is therefore a natural choice for Arab fans, he argued.
“I didn’t know who Hossam Hassan was,” he said, referring to the head coach of the Egyptian national team.
“But when he raised the Palestinian flag, I instantly became a fan.”
“We wholeheartedly support Spain.”
Talal Abdrabouh of Al Reef Bakery across Fifth Avenue had similar thoughts.
He said Spain’s support for the Palestinians and the centuries-long Arab presence in Andalusia made the team beloved by fans in the community.
“It’s not a question of prejudice against Argentina. If a non-Arab team were to play against Spain, we would support Spain,” he said.
“We wholeheartedly support Spain.”
The bakery has a large mural of Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock, and on another wall is a painting of a Palestinian woman burning bread with the words “I miss my mother’s bread” by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish.
“The Arab community was obsessed with this World Cup, especially when the Arab teams were playing,” Abdrabou told Al Jazeera as he cut bread into vertical strips.
“All the Arab fans were holding the Palestinian flag. So when an Arab team played, we were rooting for them as Palestinians.”
A record eight Arab teams took part in the 2026 tournament, with Morocco advancing to the top of the table despite losing to France in the quarter-finals.
Egypt advanced to the last 16, but was eliminated amid a series of controversial refereeing decisions, including a VAR review that ruled out Egypt’s goal for a soft foul during the build-up, squandering their two-goal lead against Argentina.
arab unification
For many Arab New Yorkers, the tournament was a show of community unity.
Mahmoud Qassem, owner of Al Aqsa Bakery, installed a large TV screen outside his restaurant and handed out free falafel at games between major Arab teams, drawing people from all over Bay Ridge.
“It’s not all about business. I love soccer. Across the Arab world, we’re obsessed with soccer. We wanted to create a beautiful atmosphere, like we do in Palestine. Put a TV outside and tell people, ‘Come and watch,'” Qassem told Al Jazeera.
“What’s great is that everyone comes together, Palestinians, Lebanese, Moroccans, Jordanians. I love the unity. I love the community and everyone being together.”
He added that he hopes Arab leaders will follow the example of people in the diaspora and eliminate borders and conflicts.
Kasem said his show persuaded police officers who had complained about closing down sections of the street to drop their complaints, citing the celebrations that took place across the city when the New York Knicks were crowned NBA champions.
Like many in Bay Ridge, Kasem is hoping for a Spanish victory on Sunday. He emphasized the similarities between Arab and Spanish culture, language and music and praised the Madrid government’s position.
“When Palestine was bombed, they took a stand. When Lebanon was bombed, they took a stand,” he told Al Jazeera. “They stand for humanity, they stand for freedom.”
Qassem added that many Palestinians support Real Madrid and Barcelona in club soccer.
Beyond the Spanish government, many Spanish celebrities and soccer players have expressed solidarity with Palestine.
Last year, Athletic Club, the Basque team that is home to Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon and winger Nico Williams, publicly called for an end to the massacre in Gaza.
Mr Qasem said politics should have no place in soccer, but it was FIFA that politicized the sport after awarding US President Donald Trump the inaugural Peace Prize and suspending Russia for invading Ukraine while refusing to ban Israel for its atrocities in the Gaza Strip.
Atmosphere of Argentina and Israel
Some fans associate the Argentine team with Israel because of the pro-Israel policies of President Javier Melei’s government.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also expressed support for Argentina. The Israeli flag was also spotted during the match between Argentina and Egypt.
However, the Argentine team and players have not taken any position regarding the dispute.
In 2018, Argentina canceled a friendly match against Israel in Jerusalem following pressure from Palestinian rights activists.
That’s why some Arab Americans still support Argentina, arguing that the magic created by Lionel Messi transcends politics.
Bay Ridge barber Karim Bouzera, 24, said the Israeli flag does not represent Argentine soccer.
“Messi is a legend,” he told Al Jazeera. “Competing for 20 years is no easy feat. We’ve seen other legends, but none with the same longevity.”
Bouzeraa said it was heartwarming to see Arab fans backing every team in the tournament, regardless of who was rooting for whom in the final.
“After all, we are all Arabs and we have one blood. Hopefully in the next World Cup there will be many Arab teams and we can support them,” he said.
