FIFA approves inspection; Spain has no guarantee of a World Cup final

The FIFA delegation was at the Santiago Bernabéu this Thursday and confirmed that Real Madrid's stadium once again demonstrated its organisational capacity in the second inspection, although the visit does not guarantee that Spain will obtain the final of the 2030 World Cup.

Favourable inspection result

The Santiago Bernabéu left this Thursday strengthened after the FIFA second inspection for the 2030 World Cup, with a very favourable impression among the participants in the visit. The Bernabéu was not starting from scratch with its evaluators. In March, FIFA representatives had already seen how it operated during a Real Madrid‑Manchester City Champions match.

RFEF position and political context

The meeting that Rafael Louzán held in the afternoon with the international delegation served to convey a firm position: the RFEF would not accept the final being played outside Spain. FIFA representatives learned about the social and political scope of that claim, including Alberto Núñez Feijóo's warning of a possible Spanish withdrawal if Morocco receives the decisive match. The meeting ended without any guarantee regarding the decision.

The FIFA envoys arrived at the Madrid venue in the morning, around 9:00 a.m. Real Madrid acted as host, accompanied by federation representatives and officials (CSD, City Council and Community of Madrid), in a private visit.

In the afternoon, at about 7:00 p.m., Louzán received the international delegation. The RFEF president had decided to stay in Madrid rather than accompany the national team to Prague to attend this phase of the project.

In addition to reviewing the inspections and the next steps, Louzán used the meeting to present the Spanish claim regarding the final to senior officials of the organisation. The officials also showed interest in the Spanish political scenario, a little more than two weeks before the 29 November elections. The explanation given was that the Executive resulting from the ballot should, under normal conditions, have continuity to complete the tournament preparation.

It should be noted that the FIFA delegation is working at this stage without Gianni Infantino, whose planned visit to Spain was disrupted by the electoral call. That inspection allowed observation of the facilities while the club was preparing a high‑intensity match, an operational demonstration more revealing than a tour of empty spaces.

Bernabéu's capabilities demonstrated

The audiovisual infrastructure stood out especially: the inspectors were able to see the simultaneous handling of more than 40 television feeds and the coordination of numerous mobile units. They also toured the dressing rooms, the press facilities, the hospitality areas and the underground space where the retractable playing surface is stored. The favourable impression from November therefore has a concrete precedent in the first round.

Madrid presents a tangible advantage: a large part of its arguments can be verified with the stadium in operation. It does not need to limit its defence to plans or forecasts to show how it serves teams, spectators and broadcasters.

The most recent test arrived on Sunday, when the Bernabéu hosted 78,660 people for the second official NFL game held in Spain. The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Atlanta Falcons 34‑17, in another occasion that tested the stadium’s transformation and its capacity to receive audiences and equipment different from those of football.

"Both this stadium and the entire experience have been top‑level, first‑class," assessed Kevin Stefanski, the Falcons’ coach. The American league plans to return to the Bernabéu in 2027.

The distinction between inspecting and awarding is essential. FIFA explained in October that it must first determine which cities and stadiums will be part of the final organisation.

Only afterwards will it set how many matches each venue receives and of which category, within the calendar drafting. Thursday’s visit belongs to the first phase of that procedure.

The assessment includes much more than stands, dressing rooms or technology. Specialists compare the hotel offering, hospitals, transport, mobility and training facilities.

A prepared stadium needs a city capable of supporting the entire World Cup operation, with administrations and suppliers coordinated to serve national teams, workers and fans. Spain retains two alternatives for the final match: the Bernabéu and the Camp Nou, inspected on Monday. Morocco presents the future Grand Stadium Hassan II, in Benslimane, near Casablanca, projected for 115,000 spectators.