“It is a historic opportunity, we are top-4 in Spain”

2023-11-01 07:01:49

Rarely has such important news been given with so little forethought. It happened last October 4, when the indiscretion of the president of Conmebol, the Paraguayan Alejandro Dominguezled to an unprecedented announcement. Spain, Portugal and Morocco will organize the 2030 World Cup, with matches also in Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina. The FIFA confirmation took almost all the actors involved by surprise and accelerated the process for assigning the headquarters in a complex cast from which no one wants to be left out, starting with the Espanyolwho designed a powerful plan so that the Stage Front Stadium be one of the stages of the great football event.

Details remain to be finalized, but Spain should have a dozens of locations, while Morocco would have five and Portugal with three. The competence To be one of the chosen venues is tough, so the strategy must be firm from the first moment. “All the stadiums that we intend to host matches present the proposal to the federation, which channels the process. There is a technical part that our stadium has more than enough, but also a qualitative and contextual part depending on each of the headquarters. One has to row as soon as possible so that there are no surprises,” he explains to EL PERIÓDICO Toni Alegre, deputy general manager of Espanyol.

“In front of our stadium I only see the Bernabéu, the Camp Nou when the works are finished and the Metropolitano. We are undisputed top-4. Our facility must be World Cup”

Toni Alegre

Deputy general manager of Espanyol

Pulling strings

The 2030 World Cup will feature 48 selections in a format with 104 parties instead of the 32 selections and 64 matches of the last appointments. The expansion will debut in the 2026 edition. The machinery was launched last year with 15 stadiums candidates to enter the cast of the 10 chosen: Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid), Metropolitano (Madrid), Spotify Camp Nou (Barcelona), Stage Front Stadium (Cornellà-El Prat), La Cartuja (Seville), San Mamés (Bilbao), Riazor (A Coruña), La Rosaleda ( Málaga), La Romareda (Zaragoza), Mestalla (if the works in València that have been stalled for 15 years are completed), Balaídos (Vigo), Anoeta (San Sebastián), La Condomina (Murcia), El Molinón (Gijón) and Gran Canaria Stadium (Las Palmas).

In principle, the top 10 on the list are ahead, but the conversations continue and some cities are pulling strings with great intensity, as is the case of Zaragozawilling to enhance the New Romaredawhich will be ready in 2028. “In front of our stadium I only see the Bernabéu, Camp Nou when the works are completed and the Metropolitan. We are top-4. The last venue that hosted national team matches in Catalonia was Espanyol, a Spain-Albania with a full house and a total organizational success,” Alegre recalls.

Functional and with a future

The blue and white leader summarizes the factors that make the blue and white temple a ideal place to host the World Cup. “As installationas organizational capacity, as ciudadas an offer of services in a radius of less than five kilometers… We are undisputed top-4. We don’t have to prove anything. Everyone who comes to our stadium sees that they are very prepared. It became very functional and thinking about him future“remarks the marketing director.

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He around It is one of the points most valued by the federation and FIFA. Not everything comes down to the playing field. The proximity to the airport and hotel offering Cornellà, El Prat and Barcelona are strong points of the candidacy, as well as the added services of the stadium, “with magnificent VIP zones and an increase of 18 additional boxes“.

Brazil He also chose the Perico stadium for his last friendly in Spain, another example of the facility’s appeal. By having a capacity to 40,500 spectators, the idea is to host group stage matches. To aspire to the decisive playoffs, more capacity would be needed.

Territorial distribution

Confirmed and recognized solvency del Stage Front Stadium, a stadium modern four-star rated by UEFA, the only risk of being left out of the tournament lies in “those uncontrollable factors “We don’t know how they’re going to go,” Alegre slips. Intense weeks are coming without a clear exact timing. Although it was speculated that the final decision of the headquarters could be made this December, it is possible that the process could be extended to the first quarter of 2024.

“Barcelona should be rewarded with two venues. Catalonia is the community in Spain with the most federative football licenses”

Toni Alegre

Deputy general manager of Espanyol

The main danger is that Barcelona has the Camp Nou as its permanent headquarters and always likes to diversify the venues throughout the territory. Madrid has the double guaranteed with the Bernabéu and the Metropolitano. In South Africa-2010 for example, only Johannesburg It had two stages, like Moscow in Russia-2018. However, the expansion opens the range more. “Catalonia is the community in Spain with the most federative football licenses. It should be rewarded with two headquarters in Barcelona, ​​it makes perfect sense,” proclaims the deputy general director of Espanyol.

The magical memory of Sarrià

The event also greatly motivates American sponsor of the stadium. “Stage Front is very excited. He has been with us for a year and has the possibility of hosting a World Cup. They are going to give us a different vision than the one we have in European football. Your ideas with US prism are very interesting,” says Alegre, who highlights the support of all the sports and political institutions. “Everyone is aligned on the goal. It’s a historic opportunity that we cannot miss, an event that will remain forever, like Sarrià’s matches in 1982″.

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Four decades have passed since that Naranjito World Cup but those who enjoyed the experience do not forget it. Argentina passed through the legendary Barcelona stadium Maradonathe Brazil of Socrates and the Italy of Paolo Rossi, who would end up being the champion. The striker, now deceased, was so amazed by Sarria who publicly requested that his irremediable demolition in 1997.

Now, Espanyol aspires to another unique occasion. Although he starts in a good position in the race, complete security will only come with the final verdict. “Until I see our name on the final scorecard I will not trust it. It is key to maintain tension until the end“, concludes Alegre.