Spain’s World Cup 2030 Bid at Risk Following Rubiales Kiss Controversy

The Rubiales affair is worrying the Pedro Sanchez government, which fears that it could seriously compromise Spain’s candidacy for the 2030 World Cup with Morocco and Portugal. Spain is keen to host this world competition, 41 years after its last organization in 1982. Its joint candidacy with Morocco and Portugal could finally be selected, especially since Saudi Arabia has decided to give up its candidacy and wait another four years to have a better chance of success, recalls Heraldo.

FIFA will have to choose, by the second half of 2024, between the Ibero-Moroccan candidacy and the South American candidacy of Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile, which will be designated to host the 2030 World Cup, a special event during which the centenary of the World Cup will be celebrated after its first organization in Uruguay. But the Rubiales affair risks ruining all of Spain, Morocco and Portugal’s chances.

The president of the RFEF has been provisionally suspended (for 90 days) by FIFA for his forced kiss on Jennifer Hermoso. During this period, Rubiales will not participate in any football-related activity at the national and international levels. The body has also issued a kind of restraining order against Rubiales or his close entourage towards Hermoso.

Just a week ago, Rubiales had the full support of UEFA, the governing body of European football, for the Hispano-Moroccan-Portuguese candidacy for the 2030 World Cup. "We continue on our way with the illusion of hosting the World Cup. With the time and seriousness with which we work, we are serious candidates," he had declared a few months ago. But today, it is total uncertainty. The Spanish government will have to get busy to restore the image of the country and the RFEF with FIFA in order to hope to see its dream of hosting the 2030 World Cup come true.