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Football War: The Tensions of the Conflict Between El Salvador and Honduras that Transcend Football's Boundaries
18/06/2023 23:48:11

The Football Battle (Spanish: La guerra del fútbol) is a 100-hour battle that broke out after the third match between El Salvador and Honduras in the 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. These conflicts are known as the "Football War" in the world literature. The war ended with the intervention of the Organization of American States, resulting in more than 2,100 dead and more than 10,000 wounded.

The causes of the war are due to the economic and territorial problems, the dense population in El Salvador and the migration movements to Honduras. Tensions between the two countries increased with football matches and provocative propaganda through the media.

The events and tensions after the matches continued to increase and on July 14, 1969, war officially broke out. This war, known as the "Football War", lasted about 100 hours. With the ceasefire achieved, El Salvadoran troops withdrew from Honduras in early August.

The results of the war resulted in mutual damages. Some of the Salvadoran villagers had to return to their homeland, and some remained in Honduras. Honduras had to pay compensation for deporting Salvadoran immigrants. Tensions between the heads of state of the two countries continued for many years, and there was no meeting or handshake until 2006.

The Football War is a historical event and a striking example of how football can trigger political and national tensions.