Spain has launched a bid to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup, targeting Barcelona’s Nou Camp for the final, while FIFA President Gianni Infantino faces mounting pressure to explain a controversial investment proposal involving the football governing body’s commercial rights. The two developments highlight major sporting ambitions and governance challenges as international sports organisations prepare for future tournaments and leadership contests.
Key Highlights
- Spain bids to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup, with Barcelona’s Nou Camp among its proposed venues for the final.
- The Spanish Rugby Federation has submitted 14 stadiums for consideration, with plans to narrow the list if its bid succeeds.
- Argentina and Japan are competing with Spain for the 2035 tournament hosting rights.
- Spain aims to use the tournament to expand rugby participation and strengthen its international standing in the sport.
- FIFA President Gianni Infantino has apologised to the FIFA Council over the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise investment proposal.
- Football Association chair and FIFA vice-president Debbie Hewitt says Infantino must answer outstanding questions and release requested documents.
- The FIFA investment controversy has intensified calls for transparency ahead of the organisation’s 2027 presidential election.
Spain Targets Nou Camp for 2035 Rugby World Cup Final
The Spanish Rugby Federation has launched its campaign to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup, proposing major football stadiums including Barcelona’s Nou Camp, Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu and Valencia’s Mestalla.
The federation said it wants to deliver what it described as the “best World Cup in history”, using Spain’s sporting infrastructure, tourism industry and international connections to attract global audiences.
If Spain wins the hosting rights, the revamped Nou Camp could stage the final, potentially becoming the first venue to host a Rugby World Cup final before a crowd exceeding 100,000 spectators.
The bid has received backing from the Spanish government and La Liga, Spain’s top professional football league.
Spain also hopes to build on the international attention expected from the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which it will co-host with Morocco and Portugal.
Spain Submits 14 Stadiums for Rugby World Cup Bid
Spanish Rugby Federation executive president Juan Carlos Martin, popularly known as Hansen, expressed confidence in the country’s ability to organise the tournament.
“We have complete confidence in our organisational capability, our sports infrastructure is at the cutting edge of innovation, and we are convinced that hosting Rugby World Cup 2035 will bring new and unique dimensions of hospitality, collaboration, unity and friendship to the global rugby family,” he said.
Spain has submitted a list of 14 stadiums to World Rugby for consideration. If selected, the country expects to reduce the list to nine or 10 venues.
The proposed locations include San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, which hosted European rugby finals weekends in 2018 and 2026.
The Nou Camp also has experience hosting major rugby events. It staged the 2016 French Top 14 final, which attracted 99,124 spectators.
Spain’s rugby authorities hope the tournament would expand the sport’s reach in the country and connect with an estimated 700 million Spanish speakers worldwide.
Spain Targets Rugby Growth Ahead of 2035 Tournament
Spain has qualified for the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup in Australia, marking its first appearance at the tournament since 1999.
Beyond hosting the competition, the Spanish Rugby Federation plans to triple the number of rugby participants in the country by 2035, with the long-term ambition of establishing Spain as a Tier One rugby nation.
Martin said rugby was becoming an increasingly important part of Spain’s sporting identity and described cooperation with World Rugby as an opportunity to advance the sport’s global development.
The proposed tournament could also provide opportunities for tourism, hospitality businesses and local sporting organisations.
Argentina and Japan Challenge Spain for Hosting Rights
Spain faces competition from Argentina and Japan, both of which have expressed interest in hosting the 2035 Rugby World Cup in the 2035 hosting race.
Argentina’s proposal includes Brazil, Chile and Uruguay. If successful, the joint bid would bring the tournament to South America for the first time.
Japan, which hosted the 2019 Rugby World Cup, is also seeking another opportunity to stage the competition. Its previous tournament attracted substantial commercial and audience interest, strengthening its credentials as a potential host.
World Rugby is expected to conduct site visits and feasibility assessments from December before identifying its preferred candidate in late spring or summer 2027. A formal announcement is expected during the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Australia is scheduled to host the 2027 and 2029 tournaments, while the United States is set to host the 2031 and 2033 editions.
The final decision will depend on World Rugby’s assessment of the competing proposals, including stadium infrastructure, organisational capacity and commercial potential.
Infantino Apologises Over Abandoned FIFA Investment Proposal
Meanwhile, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has apologised to the FIFA Council over a controversial investment proposal known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would have transferred part of FIFA’s commercial rights to a private investment firm.
The proposal was reportedly abandoned within days of emerging, but questions about how it was developed and why council members were not adequately briefed have continued.
Infantino’s apology came during a three-and-a-half-hour FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday, October 15.
However, the meeting did not resolve all the concerns raised by senior football officials, with some continuing to demand access to documents and direct answers from the FIFA president.
Debbie Hewitt Demands Answers From FIFA President
Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, who is also a FIFA vice-president, said council members were disappointed that requests for documents relating to the FFE proposal had not been fulfilled.
“One of the disappointing things is that we didn’t get answers to anything that we had specifically requested,” she said, according to the BBC.
Hewitt said council members had been asked to submit their questions in writing after seeking explanations for the failure to release the requested documents.
She also questioned whether Infantino could continue leading FIFA without addressing the outstanding concerns.
“I think the man has to answer those questions and if he doesn’t answer those questions now, he’s not fit to be FIFA president,” she said.
Although Hewitt acknowledged that Infantino had shown some remorse, she maintained that the apology did not resolve the wider concerns. According to her account, it focused mainly on his failure to present the proposal to the council.
FIFA Investment Dispute Deepens Tensions With UEFA
The controversy has added to tensions between Infantino and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which has reportedly taken steps to pursue access to documents relating to the FFE proposal.
According to reports, UEFA has prepared criminal legal proceedings against Infantino and filed claims in three United States courts seeking the release of relevant documents.
The dispute has intensified calls for greater transparency in FIFA’s financial and commercial decision-making.
However, the investment proposal was abandoned, and the allegations and legal actions surrounding it should not be treated as proof of wrongdoing unless established through the relevant legal processes.
Read also:
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- FIFA Accuses UEFA Of Smear Campaign Against Infantino Over World Cup Investment Plan
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Infantino’s 2027 FIFA Presidency Bid Faces Scrutiny
Infantino, who marked 10 years as FIFA president in February 2026, is expected to seek a third re-election in March 2027.
Former Tottenham Hotspur and Switzerland defender Ramon Vega has expressed an intention to challenge him, although he is expected to face difficulties securing the support letters required from member associations to qualify.
Senior figures in European football have also reportedly identified former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger as a possible candidate. Wenger currently serves as FIFA’s global head of football development, and it remains unclear whether he would consider challenging Infantino.
Hewitt stressed the importance of identifying a credible candidate before the November 18 deadline, arguing that FIFA’s 211 member associations should have a genuine choice between competing candidates and their programmes.
Infantino was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023, making the question of whether a credible challenger emerges a key issue ahead of the next election.
FIFA Council Also Discusses Other Football Issues
Beyond the investment controversy, the October 15 council meeting addressed other matters, including the suspended red-card ban involving United States striker Folarin Balogun, the FIFA Peace Prize and funding for national football associations.
The outcome left Infantino facing continued scrutiny from critics demanding greater transparency and accountability within football’s governing body.
As Spain advances its bid for the 2035 Rugby World Cup, the FIFA controversy highlights a separate challenge facing international sport: maintaining public and institutional confidence in the organisations responsible for managing major competitions and commercial interests.
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