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Malaga has officially withdrawn from hosting matches in the 2030 World Cup, which will be jointly organised by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. The announcement came on Saturday July 12 from the city’s mayor, Francisco De la Torre, who said that the decision was made in the interest of protecting the local football club and its supporters.

 

“It represents a risk for the club and a problem for the fans and is not worth it,” the mayor stated. He made the comments following a meeting with representatives from the Malaga Provincial Council and the Junta de Andalucía, both co-owners of La Rosaleda stadium along with Málaga CF Federation of Peñías y Grada de Animación.

 

One of the main concerns raised was the cost and impact of the required renovations to La Rosaleda stadium. The proposed works to get the stadium World Cup-ready would come with a price tag of €270 million and would force Málaga CF to relocate temporarily to the Ciudad de Málaga stadium, which only seats 12,500 spectators. This would be a major issue for the club, which currently has more than 26,000 season ticket holders.

 

“Choosing between the World Cup and the club, we choose the club and the fans. We are with Málaga,” said Mr De la Torre. “The club is very important and we want it to go even further.”

 

The mayor went on to confirm that Malaga is still committed to the long-term development of its football infrastructure.

 

“We want there to be a new stadium, it will not be for the World Cup, but there will be one, it is a firm commitment. We are not doing this to save money, but because it is the best for the city, the fans and the club.”

 

In light of the decision, Mayor De la Torre has called for an extraordinary plenary session on July 24 to address the current situation of La Rosaleda stadium and the nearby athletics venue. This follows mounting criticism from opposition politicians, including the PSOE’s Daniel Pérez.

 

Mr Pérez had earlier demanded that the mayor “shows his face” and explains “why the truth has been hidden, why homework has not been done and why Málaga misses the World Cup train while other cities advance.”

 

He went on to label the decision a “political fraud,” claiming the mayor had long been aware that the city could not meet the promised stadium capacity.

 

Meanwhile, other cities continue to push forward. Valencia, which had not been on the initial venue list submitted by the Spanish Federation, has now thrown its hat back in the ring. Its chances are said to be strengthened by the restart of work on the Nou Mestalla stadium.

 

The 2030 tournament will be unique in World Cup history, with Spain, Portugal and Morocco serving as co-hosts. Additionally, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each host one opening match to honour the centenary of the first ever World Cup, held in Montevideo in 1930.

 

 

Image: Jorgekoke 10 via Wikimedia Commons