An event supporting Catalonia’s pro-independence symbol was organized as Barcelona hosted its first match since Spain’s World Cup victory.
Published On 27 Aug 2026
Barcelona chose not to honor its World Cup winners with Spain during the club’s first home game of the season following an incident involving the “estelada,” Catalonia’s pro-independence symbol.
Instead, a local group organized an act of support for the estelada at Camp Nou stadium. The venue was filled with approximately 10,000 small flags distributed to fans prior to Thursday’s match, alongside several large flags and banners displayed in the stands.
Supporters waved the flags during Barcelona’s anthem. Prior to the match, thousands of fans marched with the pro-independence symbols near Camp Nou, according to local media reports.
Barcelona, which boasts the most World Cup champions of any club with eight players in its squad, had originally planned a tribute ahead of its Spanish league home opener against Athletic Bilbao.
Conversely, other Spanish clubs, in collaboration with the Spanish soccer federation, honored their own World Cup winners with tributes featuring the World Cup trophy and Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.
The club decided against proceeding with the tribute after one of its fans had an estelada flag confiscated by police during the team’s match at Elche the previous weekend. The young fan confronted the officers, who struck him with batons before detaining him.
The Catalan club expressed regret over the confiscation, stating that the estelada “is a legally endorsed symbol and its display constitutes a legitimate exercise of freedom of expression.” The club added that the flag “cannot in itself be considered an incitement to hatred or violence.”
Barcelona further stated that the “procedure used to detain one of our fans was disproportionate and that the use of force lacked the necessary justification and appropriateness.”
The incident rapidly escalated into the political arena, prompting responses from local politicians.
A Catalan organization distributed 10,000 estelada flags outside Camp Nou ahead of Thursday’s game. Club president Joan Laporta praised the peaceful “act of exaltation of the estelada,” noting that it represented the Catalans’ right to freedom of expression. He clarified that Barcelona was not directly organizing the event.
Laporta explained that it was not “the most appropriate moment” to pay tribute to the Spain players, emphasizing that “soccer must unite, not generate confrontations.”
He added that the Spanish football federation understood the club’s stance.
The eight Barcelona players who contributed to Spain’s second World Cup trophy last month are Joan García, Eric García, Pedri, Pau Cubarsí, Gavi, Rodri, Dani Olmo, and Lamine Yamal.
