RC Deportivo, the A Coruña City Council, and the Galician Football Federation held a technical meeting to finalize logistical and technical aspects ahead of the upcoming FIFA delegation visit. The delegates of the international body inspected Estadio Abanca-Riazor and other facilities in A Coruña on Tuesday.

Roles defined

The meeting took place in the Abelenda dining room at the City Hall. The club was represented by Massimo Benassi and six other members. From the City Council, those responsible for coordinating technical visits, the logistics team, and David Estany, the architect in charge of the Riazor renovation project, were in attendance. The Galician Federation sent Diego Batalla, its secretary-general, and vice president Juan Luis Villamisar.

During the meeting, RC Deportivo was informed that its role during FIFA’s visit would be limited to institutional representation and providing technical support at both Riazor and the Abegondo Sports City. At the same time, the club reiterated some concerns expressed in recent months, such as the sustainability of the project and the coexistence of construction work with the team's sports activities.

© Cristian García

The club sticks to its position

In earlier discussions held several days ago, Deportivo de La Coruña firmly stated that it does not have the budget or sponsors to cover the costs of any potential works at Estadio Abanca-Riazor but is willing to cooperate fully as soon as the concerns raised in various meetings are addressed and the City Council guarantees the necessary funding. The Xunta de Galicia has offered to co-finance the renovations, but further funding must be secured to avoid the city being excluded from the final list.

The club also emphasized the importance of ensuring that any stadium improvements are sustainable and useful beyond the 2030 World Cup. Deportivo is advocating for detailed planning and constant communication, particularly regarding key issues such as infrastructure and spectator experience, to meet international standards. It was also stressed that maintaining open and transparent dialogue between all parties involved is crucial. It's essential that any proposal takes into account the financial realities of a club that recently emerged from a 12-year bankruptcy and does not jeopardize its future profitability, read the official statement from Deportivo.

The meeting on September 21 aimed to solidify planned actions, as there are fewer than six years left until the tournament. If the project requires work on multiple fronts, both the design and the investment must be executed swiftly. 

© Pablo Herrero (cc: by)

FIFA inspects Riazor

There, the city, club and galician federation representatives presented to them the details of the stadium modernization project. After the tour of the 2030 World Cup venues, FIFA representatives will prepare reports that will help the international body to make a final decision in December.