RFEF and LALIGA Clubs Hold New Meeting Highlighting Dialogue and Joint Progress for the Benefit of Spanish Football

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) held its second meeting with clubs from Spain's professional men's game on Monday in Madrid, with the gathering taking place at LALIGA's headquarters. The meeting follows the landmark summit held in Retiro Park in February 2025, shortly after Rafael Louzán became RFEF President, which marked the first event of its kind in Spanish football.

Opening the session, Javier Tebas, President of LALIGA and Vice-President of the RFEF, welcomed the continued collaboration.

"This is another example of cooperation, dialogue and the ongoing work we have been carrying out with Rafael Louzán and the Federation as a whole. We believe this approach has been both positive and highly beneficial for Spanish football."

Reviewing the progress made since last year's meeting, Rafael Louzán highlighted the commitments that have already been fulfilled.

"At last year's meeting we made a number of commitments, and I believe we have delivered on them. The first was to keep the door open to dialogue so that we could continue moving forward. The coordination committee has worked throughout the season to achieve that, but there has been much more: the reform of the refereeing system, built on meritocracy and transparency; the commitment to regionalised early-round Copa del Rey ties; and the review of financial support to clubs with the aim of increasing those contributions."

One of the major innovations for next season will see Spain's top flight introduce connected ball technology, providing additional data to assist refereeing decisions during matches.

Louzán also underlined the importance of the improved relationship between the Federation and LALIGA.

"Dialogue and joint work have delivered results. Thank you for welcoming us into the home of professional football. The days when the RFEF and LALIGA communicated through the courts are behind us. The situation has changed completely, and I believe we should all be satisfied with the progress made. We will continue along this path by visiting clubs, attending stadiums and listening closely to your concerns."

He added:

"Talking works. Applying common sense works too. If we want to keep progressing, we have to communicate. Constructive criticism is always welcome when it helps us improve, but it must be expressed through the working forums created specifically to strengthen professional football. That is part of the responsibility we all share towards Spanish football and its millions of supporters."

During the meeting, the RFEF President also informed clubs of the Federation's request to the Spanish Government for LALIGA to become a permanent member of the Interministerial Committee for the Preparation and Organisation of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, describing the proposal as "fair for everyone and beneficial for Spanish football."

Meanwhile, Fran Soto, President of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), presented an update on refereeing reforms and reviewed the progress achieved over the past year through collaboration with club representatives.

Among the most significant refereeing developments for the 2026/27 season is the introduction of semi-automated offside technology in the top flight, enabled by the implementation of connected ball technology. The system is scheduled to be introduced in the Second Division from the 2027/28 season.

The meeting also addressed several financial matters, including the revenue generated by recent editions of the Spanish Super Cup and its redistribution to professional clubs, increased income from the Copa del Rey, and the financial impact of UEFA and FIFA solidarity payments related to club participation in international competitions and the release of players for tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup.