Malaga Withdraws From 2030 World Cup Hosting Plans

Last Updated:July 12, 2025, 20:17 IST

Malaga withdrew from the 2030 FIFA World Cup host list due to La Rosaleda Stadium renovation concerns, impacting Malaga CF and its supporters.

La Rosaleda Stadium at Malaga (X)

The Spanish city of Malaga has officially pulled out of the list of potential host venues for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.

La Rosaleda Stadium, located in the southern coastal city, was among the 11 stadiums initially proposed by Spain for the tournament. However, concerns over the impact of necessary renovations on the local football club and its supporters led to the city’s withdrawal.

Malaga’s mayor, Francisco de la Torre, announced the decision on Saturday after a meeting with the city council and the regional government of Andalusia.

Renovation Concerns and Costs

Hosting World Cup matches would have required extensive reconstruction of La Rosaleda, forcing Malaga CF to temporarily relocate to a 12,500-seat alternative stadium, despite having more than 26,000 season ticket holders.

The proposed renovation was expected to cost approximately €270 million ($316 million). However, the mayor emphasized that cost-cutting was not the motivation behind the decision.

Malaga CF, currently in Spain’s second division, has faced a turbulent decade. The club once reached the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League in 2013 but later plunged into a financial crisis, dropping as low as the third tier.

The selection process for World Cup venues in Spain has already been marred by controversy. In March, Maria Tato, the head of Spain’s 2030 World Cup organization, resigned after allegations surfaced that she had manipulated the evaluation of potential host cities.

According to a report by El Mundo, scores were allegedly altered to boost the chances of Anoeta Stadium in San Sebastian, while disadvantaging Balaídos Stadium in Vigo.

Cities in Contention to Replace Malaga

With Malaga stepping aside, other cities are being considered as replacements. Among the leading candidates are Vigo in Galicia and Valencia on Spain’s eastern coast.

Valencia’s bid received a boost in June when La Liga club Valencia CF secured funding to complete the Nou Mestalla. The long-delayed stadium is now set to open in 2027 with a capacity of 70,000, making it a strong contender for the 2030 tournament.

(with AFP inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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