MADRID (AP) – The stadiums of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid are among the venues to host matches if the 2030 World Cup is held in Spain and Portugal, the Spanish soccer federation said Thursday.
A total of 15 stadiums have bid to be among the 11 Spanish venues expected to host matches if the Iberian bid is successful. Portugal will host matches at three venues.
Barcelona’s Camp Nou, Atlético’s Wanda Metropolitano and Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu highlight the initial list, which also includes the sites of Athletic Bilbao, Valencia, Celta Vigo and Real Sociedad. Both the Camp Nou and the Santiago Bernabéu are expected to be fully renovated in time for the 2030 World Cup.
“This is the most important project that Spain will carry out in the next few years,” said the president of the Spanish federation, Luis Rubiales, after a meeting where he presented the list of cities and discussed the countries’ offer.
The evaluation of the Spanish host cities will take place until November, with no date set for the announcement of the 11 cities that will be selected for the final presentation of the bid.
FIFA has yet to officially release the official bid requirements for the 2030 World Cup, but Spain and Portugal are planning a 48-nation tournament, similar to the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA is expected to select the host countries for the 2030 World Cup in 2024.
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List of stadiums for Spain:
Balaídos — Vigo
Riazor — A Coruňa
El Molinón – Gijón
San Mamés – Bilbao
Anoeta — San Sebastián
La Romareda — Zaragoza
Camp Nou – Barcelona
RCDE Stadium – Cornellá-El Prat (Barcelona)
Santiago Bernabéu – Madrid
Metropolitano – Madrid
Nuevo Mestalla – Valencia
Nueva Condomina – Murcia
La Cartuja – Seville
La Rosaleda — Málaga
Gran Canaria – Las Palmas (Canary Islands)
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