Spanish La Liga team Athletic Club Bilbao paid tribute to Palestine during a pre-match ceremony at San Mamés Stadium, inviting a group of Palestinian refugees onto the pitch in a show of solidarity with Gaza.

Before their home fixture against RCD Mallorca on Saturday, the refugees, residing in the Basque Country, were welcomed onto the field to a standing ovation from thousands of fans.

The event, announced a day earlier, saw the refugees stand at the center circle as supporters applauded and waved Palestinian flags in a moving display of support.

Club Calls for End to Genocide in Gaza

In an official statement, Athletic Club called for an end to the genocide in Gaza, reaffirming its commitment to humanitarian causes and drawing parallels between the Basque people’s resilience and the Palestinian struggle.

“We stand with Palestine from today until the very last day,” read a banner displayed by fans at a previous match — a sentiment deeply rooted in Basque solidarity movements.

Club president Jon Uriarte said the initiative aimed to raise awareness about the plight of Palestinian refugees and to “foster empathy through the universal language of football.”

A tradition of Basque solidarity

The refugees, who have found sanctuary in the Basque region, were invited as guests of honor, symbolizing the club’s long-standing dedication to social justice and human rights.

Athletic Bilbao supporters have repeatedly expressed solidarity with Palestine — waving flags and chanting “Palestina Aurrera” (Forward, Palestine) during matches.

Similar gestures have taken place across the Basque Country, including at Anoeta Stadium with Real Sociedad, where ovations for Palestine have drawn widespread attention.

The Basque people’s own history of struggle for autonomy and resistance has long inspired grassroots activism and empathy toward the Palestinian cause.