Spain vs Belgium spent a minute in silence before kicking off the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals game. This was to show respect for the victims of wildfires that happened in the Spanish region of Almeria.
In the afternoon of Thursday, July 9th, a downed power line, combined with strong winds and an intense heatwave unleashed a huge fire that burned through more than 3,150 acres of land around the towns of Los Gallardos and Bedar in Almeria.
Now, a day later and with Spain on the pitch before their game vs Belgium, FIFA made the humanitarian decision of showing support to the victims by honoring them with a minute of silence before the game kicked off. Unfortunately, this was not the only minute of silence in a Spain game due to a tragedy happening during the 2026 World Cup.
Victims of the Almeria wildfires
The blaze tragically took the life of at least 12 people according to reports by BBC. Some victims were trapped in their cars while trying to flee. Others succumbed while trying to get away from the flames on foot along an unauthorized route. An additional 23 people were reported missing.
Flames and Smoke rise from a wildfire
Approximately 1,000 residents were forced to evacuate the towns. Also, around 600 people were displaced, taking shelter in local facilities set up by Spanish emergency services. This is an ongoing procedure to save more and more lifes.
FIFA has humanitarian aids
FIFA operates a dedicated FIFA Foundation Humanitarian Fund. This foundation provides emergency assistance and life-saving relief to communities affected by natural and human-made disasters globally. Hence, it wouldn’t be rare to see them supporting Almeria.
As a matter of fact, the FIFA Foundation pledged $1 million to aid areas impacted by a devastating earthquake. This included a joint $500,000 education restoration initiative with artist Shakira.
