Spain move U20 friendly from Ceuta amid migration crisis

Spain move U20 friendly from Ceuta amid migration crisis
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Sunday 20 September 2026 - 15:19

A Spain Under-20 match will be moved from Ceuta because of security concerns, Spanish football federation president Rafael Louzan said Sunday.

They were due to face Mexico on September 30 in a friendly in the Spanish territory in north Africa which is currently gripped by a migration crisis.

“The police advised us against going ahead with it (in Ceuta) at this moment,” said Louzan.

“We will not be able to host it (there), but we will continue to stand with Ceuta.”

Louzan said the match is now likely to take place in Madrid instead.

More than 70,000 migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco on July 30 and 31 in a chaotic surge, leaving scores dead.

The majority returned in the following hours, but thousands remained in precarious conditions in the small, overwhelmed city, sleeping rough or in makeshift tents.

Three Real Madrid players, including French superstar Kylian Mbappe, came under fire after they declined to fully wear a t-shirt supporting the residents of Ceuta last week ahead of a match in Elche.

Mbappe said he did so as a gesture in support of the immigrants who lost their lives, while still supporting Ceutans.

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