SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Palestinian symbols were prominently displayed during Monday night’s World Cup match between Jordan and Algeria at Levi’s Stadium, reflecting a broader sense of solidarity among fans and players. The event marked Jordan’s first appearance in the World Cup, a milestone that resonated beyond the kingdom itself due to the country’s significant Palestinian population. Over 2.3 million registered Palestinian refugees reside in Jordan, many of whom maintain strong cultural and familial ties to the Palestinian people.

Fans attending the match frequently adorned themselves with Palestinian scarves and the traditional black-and-white kaffiyeh, as well as red-and-white scarves symbolizing Jordan. The connection between the two communities was evident among supporters and officials alike. Algeria’s team, too, has expressed support for Palestinians, notably displaying the Palestinian flag during their October qualifying victory over Somalia. While FIFA, the sport’s governing body, generally restricts political expressions at World Cup venues, the presence of the Palestinian soccer federation as a FIFA member allows Palestinian symbols to be displayed legally during games in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the host nations for this tournament.

The Palestinian diaspora, numbering more than six million globally, includes sizable communities in countries such as Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt, as well as cities far from the Middle East, like Dearborn, Michigan, and Santiago, Chile, where a local soccer team bears the Palestinian name. This sense of identity and community was evident at the stadium, which drew large numbers of Palestinians alongside supporters of Jordan and Algeria.

Hania Taha, a postdoctoral student born in Jerusalem, traveled from Virginia to attend the match, wearing both Palestinian and Jordanian colors. “Most of the Jordanians are originally Palestinians,” she said, highlighting the intertwining of identities on display during the event. The Jordanian royal family also represents these ties: King Abdullah II attended the match, celebrating Jordan’s initial lead, while Queen Rania was born to Palestinian parents in Kuwait. Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, president of Jordan’s soccer federation and King Abdullah’s half brother, whose mother was Palestinian, was present as well. On Sunday, Jordan’s players met with injured Palestinians from Gaza who were receiving medical treatment in the U.S., underscoring the humanitarian context surrounding the tournament.

The ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict was on the minds of many attendees. Omar Khalid, 24, born in the West Bank city of Ramallah and now based in California, wore a T-shirt bearing the image of Suleiman Al-Obeid, a beloved Palestinian soccer player who died in an Israeli strike in Gaza last year. Khalid described the match as an opportunity to support two Arab teams facing off. “We support both,” he said. “We are one.”

Mutual respect among fans was evident as supporters for both teams cheered each other’s national anthems. In a previous game, Algerian fans gained attention for chanting in support of Palestinians despite their loss to Argentina. Sal Judieh, 22, from San Francisco and of Ramallah descent, said, “We love both countries, we want both of them to win.”

The intersection of identities extended into personal relationships within the Jordanian royal family. Prince Ali’s wife, Rym Ali, is the daughter of Lakhdar Brahimi, a former Algerian foreign minister. Prince Ali remarked that it was easier to convince his wife to back Jordan than it was to sway his father-in-law. Ultimately, Algeria clinched the match with a 2-1 victory after rallying from behind.