War Files War File: The Soccer War (1969)

The Soccer War (1969)-- A short war between El Salvador and Honduras . Though this war is commonly called The Soccer War or The Football War, the true reason for the hostility between these Central American countries ran far deeper. El Salvador, which has a much larger population than Honduras was very unhappy with how Salvadoran migrant workers in Honduras were treated, especially after Honduras began expelling thousands of Salvadoran illegal immigrants in the late 1960s.

Both nations were in the qualifying games for the 1970 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, and when the two teams played each other, the soccer games took place with the backdrop of heightened tensions between the two nations. The war broke out in July, 1969 with Salvadoran military forces punching quickly into Honduras. The short war ended with a cease-fire arranged by the Organization of American States (OAS), and El Salvador withdrew its forces from Honduran territory by August 2, 1969.

The Soccer War Began: July 14, 1969

The Soccer War Ended: July 18, 1969

The Soccer War Was Fought Between: El Salvador vs. Honduras

Location of the the Soccer War : El Salvador invaded Honduras along their common border.

The Soccer War Resulted In: Salvadoran military victory, though the fighting ended through a negotiated cease-fire by though the Organization of American States

The Length of the the Soccer War : Four days