The Gibraltar Football Association was established in 1895 and has not joined FIFA so far, so it can only participate in events such as the World Cup. It is understood that this was due to the fact that Spain, claiming to have Gibraltar’s sovereignty, had long refused Gibraltar’s accession to FIFA. Spain also stated that as long as Gibraltar joined FIFA, Spain withdrew from the organization. On May 24, 2013, Gibraltar became a member of UEFA and can participate in the 2016 UEFA Europa League.