“A wonderful opportunity for Spain in which we are all called upon to play our part.” With these emphatic words, RFEF president Rafael Louzán described the challenge facing Spain as it prepares to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. He expressed his confidence that “we will offer the very best of what we have: our outstanding organisational capacity and our proven ability to deliver success, turning this into the World Cup of sustainability.”

Speaking to attendees at the 20th National Sports Law Congress, held at the San Francisco Cultural Complex in Cáceres, Rafael Louzán described the current sporting period in Spanish football as “the best in its history, after winning practically everything over the past two years”. He also highlighted the importance of “the current RFEF leadership bringing all the key stakeholders in our sport around the same table, enabling them to reach important agreements and work together towards common goals.”

The “confidence and stability” provided by the current RFEF leadership have been reflected in decisions such as extending Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente’s contract until 2032, as well as bringing major stakeholders — including LaLiga, Liga F and the Spanish Footballers’ Association — into closer collaboration with the work of the regional football federations.

Drawing on the economic and social impact study prepared by leading consultancy PwC, Louzán explained that hosting the 2030 World Cup is expected to generate a €3.4 billion economic surplus for Spain, attract almost 1.5 million visitors and create around 90,000 jobs.

On the question of which country will host the World Cup final, the RFEF president made his position clear: “This is non-negotiable. Spain should host that match for many reasons, and it is something that should never even have been up for debate.”

Nevertheless, Rafael Louzán called for patience until the final number of host venues is confirmed for a World Cup that will allow Spain to “have not only the best league in the world, but also the best stadiums, making football the ideal vehicle for taking the Marca España brand to every corner of the planet,” he concluded.