Playing the Final from Gaza
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is over. The trophy has been lifted, the celebrations have ended, and fans have gone home.
But one match took place far from the final.
Before the championship match, Palestinian amputees gathered at the Palestine Stadium in western Gaza City to play their own symbolic game. The stadium, heavily damaged during the war, became the setting for a different kind of World Cup.
The players, many of whom lost limbs during the conflict, wore the jerseys of Argentina and Spain, the two finalists. For a short time, they recreated the match that millions of people around the world were preparing to watch.
Photo by : Saeed Jaras / AA
Photo by : Saeed Jaras / AA
An estimated 5,000 Palestinians have lost limbs during the war, making Gaza home to the world's largest population of child amputees.
Football has long connected people across borders, languages, and cultures. This match showed that even in the middle of war, people still look for ways to take part in moments shared by the rest of the world.
Sometimes, joining the game matters as much as the result.