Will Vigo finally become host of the 2030 World Cup? How is the reconstruction of Estadio Abanca Balaídos, underway since 2014, progressing? What about the temporary stand and the Europa League? We ask the mayor of Vigo, Abel Caballero, about this and much more.

Mayor, a key point of your fifth mandate is to bring the 2030 World Cup to Vigo. How are the negotiations to include Vigo in the list of hosts progressing?

No negotiations are needed. Vigo was in, someone made some strange changes and they took us off the list of venues. But now Malaga has withdrawn, and I take it for granted that we are in.

And Valencia? They are also fighting to host the World Cup.

I support Valencia and I want FIFA to increase the number of venues so they can be in the World Cup, but the next on the list [of evaluation of venues, prepared by the RFEF - editor’s note] is Vigo. So I take it for granted that we're in. Unless Rueda [the president of Galicia region and political rival of the Mayor - e. note] and Louzán [Spanish federation president - e. note] continue to do atrocities.

If you had to give a figure, what would you say is the probability that Vigo will host the World Cup?

100%. Unless someone cheats, we are in.

Are you in contact with FIFA so that they can certify it?

No, because they have no other choice but to certify it. They certified the first eleven cities on the list, but now with Malaga gone, the next one on the list is Vigo.

© Xornal Vigo | Caballero blames the RFEF president, Rafael Louzán, and the president of the regional government, Alfonso Rueda, for Vigo’s exclusion from the World Cup hosts list.

To bring the World Cup here it will be essential to expand Balaídos. Before, you were thinking of putting more than 10,000 temporary seats, and now you have announced that you will expand the Tribuna Stand permanently…

What we planned from the beginning is an expansion to reach 45,000 seats, and that afterwards some of those parts of the new stand could be put to another use. But it's not going to be temporary, no - we're going to have a gross capacity of 45,000, which means some 41,000 seats, which is what FIFA is asking for.

Even before doing these works on Tribuna Stand, the reconstruction of Gol End has to be finished. Are there any delays in the works?

No, there is no delay. On the contrary, the work on Gol is going faster than we expected. In the match against Getafe, it was already visible that everything is ready to start building the new stand.

And the temporary stand that replaces Gol, will it be certified for the Europa League?

This is something that Celta Vigo has to take care of. We have already increased the capacity of the stadium by about 2,500 seats. But yes, it will be certified.

© Miguel Ciołczyk Garcia | The Gol End works should end in early 2027.

Once it is finished, do you think the stadium will be chosen as the winner of our Stadium of the Year competition?

Well, we have to wait until it is finished. But in terms of the architecture, there is no other like it in the world. The layout of the stands, being so close to the pitch, the resonance... We tested it before we demolished Gol. It has an acoustics that makes all the sound stay inside.

Do you expect to do a lot of concerts in Balaídos?

Yes, we do.

In summer or all year round?

Mostly in summer.

Last question: Will you put the famous Christmas lights in Balaídos?

It's an idea. Balaídos is a public stadium. The new façade is like a projection screen: it's sky blue, and very smooth. So I don't rule it out.

© Concello de Vigo | Vigo is widely known for its Christmas lights, designed to compete with the most illuminated cities in the world. This year, 12 million LED lights will be installed on 460 streets.