The impasse over Valencia CF's new stadium continues. All the indications are that, despite another meeting of local politicians, the situation, now 15 years old, will not change one bit. As successive attempts at agreement break down, the hope of Valencia hosting the 2030 World Cup is also moving away. A prestigious defeat is almost certain.

Invalid documentation is another obstacle

In March, the Supreme Court of the Valencian Community ruled that, due to important changes in the design of Nou Mestalla relative to the original vision, the Strategic Territorial Action (ATE) plan for Nou Mestalla, which has been under construction for 17 years, was invalid and that it was legal for the city council to cancel it in 2022.

In practice, this means that the club cannot carry out any work for the time being until the new ATE is enacted, further delaying the project that was supposed to give Valencia the title of 2030 World Cup host city.

© Valencia CF

Political clinch

A meeting of political groups was held on Thursday 9 May to come up with a solution to the deteriorating situation around Nou Mestalla. According to the city's mayor María José Catalá, the discussion was to include three amendments on a new version of the ATE, which was prepared back in the days of the previous government, formed by the groupings that are now the opposition.

It seemed then that it would not be difficult to reach an agreement. However, there must be a curse hanging over the project, because the coalition partner, the far-right VOX, as well as the socialists from PSOE and Compromís, a regional left-wing grouping, have come out against the proposal of the co-governing People's Party (PP).

Opponents of a 'peaceful' solution to the dispute with the club motivate their resistance by a lack of confidence in Valencia CF's owner, Peter Lim. VOX does not want a single step backwards in its hardline policy towards Lim. PSOE and Compromís, on the other hand, have demanded more guarantees from Lim.

The socialists perceived Valencia mayor's absence as disrespectful, stating that they were disappointed with the meeting, and a spokeswoman for Compromís called on the mayor to sit down at the negotiating table.

© Valencia CF

Three months for an agreement

In the absence of a solution, Valencia's Gordian knot is likely to be cut on August 3, as new documentation for the continuation of the construction of the Nou Mestalla must be passed by then. If this fails, the club will have, as Town Planning Councillor Juan Giner Corell, quoted by MARCA, admitted, a free hand as the 2015 ATE will be reinstated.

According to sources such as AS and Super Deporte, the club has already presented documentation to the city, declaring its willingness to resume work within six months. The 70,000-seats stadium, as they assure, will meet FIFA Category 4 requirements and will be completed within 2.5 to 3.5 years from the time the construction team enters the site.

According to El Desmarque, the club petitioned for its representatives to be present at the monthly held urbanistic committee, which prompted a more open to negotiations response from the town mayor quoted by the portal, who asserted that we all need to make a step forward.

© Futuro Mestalla

World Cup dream comes to an end

Although there are three months left for an agreement, and everyone declares their willingness to fight for Valencia's bid to host the 2030 World Cup, it is not at all clear that any agreement will be reached. And Peter Lim does not want to sign FIFA's protocol to host the tournament without approving the ATE documents.

I cannot imagine that the politicians of this city will not be able to come to an agreement before August. It would be, firstly, a failure for the city and, secondly, it would allow the World Cup to pass us by Javier Solís, the club's corporate director and spokesman, told MARCA. Before the game against Rayo Vallecano, in turn, he suggested that Valencia has the money necessary to complete the stadium, as reported by El Desmarque.

FIFA and the Spanish federation (RFEF) are aware of Valencia's plight and are delaying the announcement of the World Cup host cities to avoid the 3rd largest city in the Iberian Peninsula being left out. However, it is not known until when they will be able to postpone the decision.

All this, however, has not prevented the club, as reported by À Punt Esports, from signing a deal with American company Legends to take care of the commercial operation of the stadium and the quality of the matchday experience, as well as the VIP offer. This is a very interesting step, as Nou Mestalla has been little more than a concrete skeleton for the past 15 years, and it is not at all certain that the club has the money to complete the construction.

© Futuro Mestalla