Spain Eyes 2035 Rugby World Cup Host Bid, Proposes Nou Camp Final
The Spanish Rugby Federation has announced its intention to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup, with iconic venues like Barcelona's Nou Camp and Real Madrid's Bernabeu listed as potential sites.
Spain has formally entered the race to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup, proposing some of the continent's most renowned football stadiums, including Barcelona's Nou Camp, Real Madrid's Bernabeu, and Valencia's Mestalla, as potential venues. If successful, the revamped Nou Camp is in contention to host the final match, which would mark the first time the tournament's showpiece event has been played before an audience exceeding 100,000 spectators.
The Spanish Rugby Federation stated its ambition to deliver the "best World Cup in history," aiming to connect the tournament with the global community of 700 million Spanish speakers. This bid gains strategic advantage from Spain's role as a joint host for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, alongside Morocco and Portugal.
Stadiums and Infrastructure
The proposed venues list includes 14 stadiums submitted to World Rugby, which will be narrowed down to nine or ten if the bid proceeds. Among the potential sites, the San Mames stadium in Bilbao, which has previously hosted European finals weekends, is also included. The federation aims to leverage Spain's advanced sports infrastructure and organizational capabilities. The 2016 Top 14 final, for example, was held at the Nou Camp, drawing 99,124 attendees.
Growing Rugby in Spain
The tournament bid is supported by the Spanish government and La Liga, underscoring a national commitment to expanding rugby's presence. The Spanish federation has set an ambitious goal to triple the number of people playing the sport in Spain by 2035, with the ultimate aim of establishing the nation as a Tier One rugby power. "Rugby is becoming part of our country's identity," stated Juan Carlos Martin 'Hansen', executive president of the Spanish federation.
Spain has a history in the Women's Rugby World Cup, participating seven times, and has hosted European finals. Furthermore, the country is slated to host World Rugby Sevens events in Castile and Leon in 2027 and 2028. The Spanish men's team has qualified for the 2027 tournament in Australia, marking their first World Cup appearance since 1999.
Global Competition
Spain faces competition from Argentina and Japan for the 2035 hosting rights. World Rugby is expected to announce its preferred bidder in the spring or summer of 2027. While Spain's bid emphasizes its infrastructure and organizational capacity, Argentina's bid carries historical significance for the sport, and Japan's candidacy is bolstered by the success of the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The decision by World Rugby may also consider the geographical distribution of previous tournaments, with the 2027 and 2031 World Cups scheduled for Australia and the United States, respectively, potentially favoring a return to Europe in 2035.