Spain have entered a bid for the 2035 Rugby World Cup, with Barcelona’s Nou Camp or Real Madrid’s Bernabeu in with a chance of hosting the final.
The home grounds of Barcelona and Real Madrid feature in the bid which would seek to use the 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”, with Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium and the Mestalla in Valencia also listed as possible other venues.
Argentina and Japan are also bidding for the tournament, with World Rugby expected to announce a preferred bidder next year.
“We have complete confidence in our organisational capability, our sports infrastructure is at the cutting edge of innovation, and we are convinced that hosting Rugby World Cup 2035 will bring new and unique dimensions of hospitality, collaboration, unity and friendship to the global rugby family,” said Juan Carlos Martin ‘Hansen’, executive president of the Spanish federation.
Spain have qualified for the 2027 tournament in Australia, which will be their first appearance at a men’s World Cup since 1999.
In a statement, executive president of the Spanish Rugby Federation, Juan Carlos Martin ‘Hansen’, said: “World Rugby has established this tournament as the pinnacle of our sport, and it is a great honour for Spain to bid to host it. Over the past two decades, our commitment to rugby has led to extraordinary progress, and the next nine years could mark a step change for the sport across Spain.
“The warmth, openness and desire to share moments with others that characterise our country fit perfectly with the spirit that a Rugby World Cup creates.
“Rugby is becoming part of our country’s identity. Working together with World Rugby, we can make Rugby World Cup 2035 a turning point in the global growth of the sport, for the benefit of generations to come.”
The Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid could also host Rugby World Cup matches
Spain hopes to grow interest in the sport by bidding for the Champions and Challenge Cup finals to be staged in Madrid in 2029, and the Top 14 final in Barcelona in 2030.
The country has already hosted two European finals weekends – at Bilbao’s San Mames in 2018 and 2026 – while the 2016 Top 14 final was held at the Nou Camp in front of 99,124 fans, although the revamped stadium will hold over 100,000 spectators.
A total of 14 stadiums have been submitted to World Rugby, which will be reduced to nine or 10 if the Spanish bid is successful.
The 2031 edition will be held in the US for the first time.
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