During a recent football match between two of Spain's top football clubs, a player was racially insulted by several fans. After the match the player in question - who is from Brazil - denounced these insults and accused Spain of being a 'racist' country, which has led to huge debate across the country's media, political sphere, football clubs, and social media.

The topic of racism in football is not new to Spain: this is not the first time that a player has brought the topic to society’s attention, and literature shows that racism and xenophobia during matches has been common since the start of La Liga (the men's top professional football division of the Spanish football league system). This trend has been echoed in wider society with Spain's integration into the European Union, which led to a huge increase in immigration from both European and third-country nationals (TCNs). The topic began to gain political relevance in Spain in 2004, after a national coach directed racist comments towards a player that resulted in international backlash. Since then, multiple initiatives have been launched - by both the government and NGOs - that aim to raise awareness of and eliminate racism in football.

Over the last thirty years, Spain has shifted from an emigration country to one of immigration. Although at present only 2.1% of Spain's population considers immigration to be among the country's top 3 problems, recent studies show that racism is on the rise. In a 2020 report, the Centre for the Elimination of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination (CEDRE) finds that racism is increasing in housing and education processes, and in interactions between civil society and security forces.

Sport is integral to the culture of many countries, and in Spain football plays a significant social role. It can be a strong tool for the integration and inclusion of migrant newcomers and minority groups, but also risks being a vehicle for discrimination. Researcher Ramón Llopis, from Valencia University, points out the the inconsistent forms of discrimination in football, asserting that a lack of clarity in the definition of 'discrimination' has led to different types of and approaches to racism in the sport. Discrimination practices are inconsistent during matches, for example: fans from one side may cheer for the foreign players on their team, while insulting foreign players on the opposing team whose autographs they will then request after the match. Focusing on football but making an observation that can also be applied to wider society, Llopis finds that the nature of racism has changed: it is no longer necessarily tied to biological inheritance, but rather revolves around cultural, national, and religious differences.

The recent incident in Spain demonstrates that the problem of racism on the football field has not been solved. The government, most football clubs, and international actors have strongly condemned the fans' behaviour, acknowledging that more action is needed to combat discriminatory attitudes and foster an inclusive environment in sport. Find further information on racism in Spain here, and learn more about racism in football in Spain here.