Málaga Withdraws From Spain’s 2030 World Cup Host Race

Málaga has pulled out of being a host city for the 2030 FIFA World Cup after a meeting with city and fans of the local soccer club.

La Rosaleda, Málaga’s stadium, has a capacity of 30,000 and would have neeeded a major redevelopment project to expand its capacity to 45,000. Such a project would have meant the club temporarily moves to an athletics stadium with a capacity of 12,500, less than half of its season ticket base.

“If this causes problems for the fans, it’s not worth continuing,” Malaga Mayor Francisco de la Torre said last week. “We must remember that when we bid for the World Cup, we did so with the goal of securing a new stadium, which must be in the city. If it creates these problems and we have to choose between the World Cup and the club, we’ll choose the club and the fans. We’re with Málaga CF and the fans. It’s a shared sentiment among all three administrations. It’s obvious that we love the city and that Málaga CF is very important in our city, and we want our club to grow.”

Málaga’s withdrawal could allow Valencia to re-enter the host city race. La Liga club Valencia CF recently announced it secured a financial package worth $376 million to complete a Nou Mestalla project that was suspended in February 2009 but could now be delivered in the summer of 2027.

FIFA’s setup for the 2030 World Cup starts with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay each hosting one game before the rest of the tournament heads to Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Spain hosted the World Cup in 1982 while Morocco’s role will make it the second African country to host World Cup matches after South Africa in 2010. It will be the first time World Cup matches are held in Portugal.

The world’s biggest soccer venue, the planned 115,000-seat King Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca, is among 24 stadiums offered including 10 currently in Spain, three in Portugal and six in Morocco. The longest World Cup should start with the three games in South America on June 8–9. The tournament would resume on June 13.

Notable figures that have endorsed the bid include Portugal star Luis Figo and Spanish midfield legend Andres Iniesta. FIFA, which has in recent years tried to project its caring about sustainability, admitted the setup for the six-country World Cup risked “a significant negative impact on the climate.”