The mayor of Vigo, Abel Caballero, has launched a serious accusation against the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF), claiming the organization manipulated the scoring system used to evaluate potential host cities for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Caballero alleges that the Spanish Football Federation deliberately altered the venue assessment criteria and scores specifically to eliminate Vigo from contention as a host city for the upcoming tournament. The 2030 World Cup will be jointly organized by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco in what promises to be a historic tri-nation event.
The accusation comes as Spain prepares its final list of candidate cities to present to FIFA for the global football spectacle. Vigo, a major city in the Galicia region of northwestern Spain, had been positioning itself as a potential venue for matches during the tournament.
According to the mayor, the evaluation process conducted by the RFEF was not conducted fairly, with the scoring methodology allegedly being adjusted in a way that disadvantaged Vigo's candidacy. Caballero expressed his frustration publicly, suggesting the federation had a predetermined outcome in mind when assessing the various Spanish cities vying for hosting duties.
The 2030 World Cup represents a significant opportunity for Spanish cities selected as venues, bringing international attention, tourism revenue, and infrastructure investment. Being excluded from the host city roster would mean missing out on these substantial economic and prestige benefits for Vigo.
Spain, as one of the three co-hosting nations alongside Portugal and Morocco, is expected to stage a significant portion of the tournament's matches. The selection of host cities within each country involves complex evaluations of stadium facilities, transportation infrastructure, accommodation capacity, and other logistical considerations.
The RFEF has not yet publicly responded to Caballero's allegations regarding the manipulation of venue scores. The federation is responsible for coordinating Spain's portion of the tournament preparations and making recommendations to FIFA regarding suitable host cities within the country.
Based on reporting from Fútbol.