Spain have entered a bid to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup, with Barcelona's Nou Camp or Real Madrid's Bernabeu in contention to stage the final. The bid would seek to use venues and infrastructure from the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Spain will co-host with Morocco and Portugal.
In a statement, the Spanish Rugby Federation (RFER) said it aims to deliver the "best World Cup in history". Atletico Madrid's Metropolitano Stadium and the Mestalla in Valencia are also listed as possible venues. Argentina and Japan are also bidding for the tournament, with World Rugby expected to announce a preferred bidder next year.
Juan Carlos Martin 'Hansen', executive president of the Spanish federation, said the country has "complete confidence in our organisational capability" and that its sports infrastructure is "at the cutting edge of innovation". He added that hosting the tournament would bring "new and unique dimensions of hospitality, collaboration, unity and friendship to the global rugby family".
Spain have already qualified for the 2027 tournament in Australia, their first men's World Cup appearance since 1999. To build interest in the sport, the country hopes to host the Champions and Challenge Cup finals in Madrid in 2029 and the Top 14 final in Barcelona in 2030. A total of 14 stadiums have been submitted to World Rugby, which will be reduced to nine or 10 if the Spanish bid succeeds.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing