When watching Spain at the FIFA World Cup, fans will notice something that appears a little strange on the scoreboard. The Spanish national team is not called "SPA" as one might think, but "ESP."
At first glance, "SPA" might appear to be the obvious choice for Spain. But FIFA's three-letter country codes are not necessarily spelled in English. Rather, they are mostly based on the international standards. They are based on the official names of the countries in their native languages or on longstanding sporting traditions.
That's why Spain is always listed as ESP in all FIFA tournaments.
Why FIFA Uses 'ESP' for Spain
The acronym ESP is directly derived from the official name of Spain in Spanish, España.
FIFA does not develop its own country codes, but normally follows the abbreviations used by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other international sporting federations. The code ESP has been used for decades in all sporting events worldwide, since Spain is officially named España.
The same abbreviation is used at the Olympic Games, FIFA tournaments, UEFA competitions, and many other international events, so that it is consistent across sports.
English speakers will automatically think of the country when they hear the word "Spain," but international sports organizations usually use the official national names when assigning three-letter codes.
Spain is not the only country with a FIFA name that is not what English-speaking fans would expect.
SUI is the code for Switzerland, which is the French name for the country. The French name, Maroc, is the reason for the use of MAR for Morocco.
Although it might seem obvious, the acronym SPA is actually a reflection of Spain's own identity, ESP. The code respects the official name of the country, España, and has the consistency that FIFA and other international sporting bodies have used for generations.
