The letter from the RFEF requesting that Valencia and Vigo be included as host cities for the 2030 World Cup paves the way for Vigo’s bid. However, another problem has arisen: the city still has no plans to expand Estadio Abanca Balaídos. There is little more than three years left to renovate Celta Vigo’s stadium. Will they make it in time?

Vigo will have played in two World Cups

The Spanish Federation sent a letter to FIFA on Thursday requesting the inclusion of Vigo and Valencia on the list of host cities for the 2030 World Cup following the withdrawal of Málaga in July and, more recently, of A Coruña. Abel Caballero, the mayor of Vigo, reacted to the announcement with a mixture of delight and frustration.

This is great news, and we therefore welcome it with great enthusiasm, because we’ve been fighting for this for a long time [...] but it’s coming almost two years late. Other hosts had two years more than Vigo, he complained.

Nevertheless, he assured that the city is in a position to meet all of FIFA’s requirements to host the World Cup. Therefore, we are going to host the World Cup for the second time. We hosted the World Cup in 1982 and we will host it again in 2030.

But in the days leading up to the announcement, there was another issue in the olive city, one that was no less important for the organisation of the tournament.

© Xornal Vigo | Caballero insists that Vigo’s inclusion is almost two years overdue.

“The project has yet to be commissioned”

The project to expand the stands is worth a million euros and we have to sign the contract to prepare it, Abel Caballero told Europa Press. Although his comments were intended to criticise the regional government and the provincial council for refusing to contribute financially to the upcoming renovation of Balaídos, the effect was quite the opposite. This remark was enough to spark a new World Cup controversy in Vigo.

The fact is that Vigo’s mayor made it clear that he does not yet have the final project, but only a preliminary design in the form of sketches. In fact, the process of preparing it has not even begun.

Time is running out

This means that Vigo is already running very tight on time to complete the work. FIFA requires that venue renovations be completed one year before the World Cup, which sets the deadline for the summer of 2029. That leaves three years and three months to commission the design, process the planning permission, contract the work, demolish the old Tribuna stand and erect the new structure.

And, despite Celta de Vigo’s support for the stadium expansion, it is unlikely that the club will even consider relocating while the work is underway, which makes the whole operation much more complicated.

© Xornal Vigo | According to the mayor, the new Tribuna stand will be a single-tier structure with 16,000 seats. The stadium will therefore exceed the 40,000-seat requirement set by FIFA.

The opposition considers the situation “alarming”

This first-hand account is alarming, said Luisa Sánchez, chair of the Popular Party in Vigo. Will it be ready in time? We, the Popular Party in Vigo urge the mayor to present a timetable immediately. demanded the opposition leader.

He also accused the mayor of lying when he announced six months ago that the expansion of the Tribuna was already underway. What has the mayor been doing all this time, apart from causing a daily row? Has he done anything to expand the Tribuna Stand? And to bring the training grounds up to FIFA standards?, he asked.

She also recalled that the mayor of Vigo had gone so far as to assure her that the City Council would pay for the entire project if necessary. If it doesn’t depend on third parties, why has everything come to a standstill?, she asked, and answered her own question: We suspected that Caballero isn’t interested in the World Cup, that he has only used this issue to stir up trouble for the Popular Party.

The mayor replies: we’re on schedule

Abel Caballero responded to these accusations by pointing out that preparatory work has already begun, namely the relocation of the water mains located next to Tribuna. According to him, Vigo is on schedule.

Right now, Balaídos has a capacity of 22,900 spectators, which will increase to around 29,000 once the reconstruction of the Gol end is complete.