Football World Cup: Spain women's team appear to mock 'Ka Mate' haka in preparations for tournament

  • 10/07/2023

Spain's women's football team appear to have mocked the haka, after arriving in New Zealand for this month's World Cup.

In a clip posted to - but promptly deleted from - Spanish football's social media accounts, a quartet of players can be seen slapping their knees and yelling, in what appears to be the 'Ka Mate' haka.

This isn't the first time the haka has been appropriated in football either.

In 2022, Italian giants Juventus' women's team came under fire for their use of the haka before matches.

On that instance, Football Ferns striker Katie Rood had taught Juventus, after spending the 2017-18 season based in Italy.

Spain are one of the heavyweight teams to have travelled to New Zealand for this year's women's World Cup, co-hosted by Australia, ranked sixth in the world.

La Roja are in Palmerston North as part of Group C alongside Costa Rica, Zambia and Japan.

Newshub has contacted the Spanish Football Federation for comment.