FIFA and UEFA ultimatum for the FEF to have a president before the end of the year

FIFA and UEFA gave an ultimatum to the Government on Wednesday to provide guarantees for the Spanish Football Federation (FEF) to hold elections and have a new president before the end of the year. FIFA has threatened Spain with withdrawing the organization of the 2030 World Cup - along with Morocco and Portugal - if the FEF does not immediately start the electoral process so that the institution, whose presidency had to be vacated by Luis Rubiales and Pedro Rocha, elects a top leader for the next four years.

"We are convinced that it will not be necessary to reach that point, but we must see a positive response," warned FIFA's legal director, Emilio García Silvero. "On December 11, the FIFA congress will choose the host of the 2030 World Cup, and confidence must be given to a long-term project, but for this, the Spanish Football Federation must have a president," insisted the FIFA official after the meeting held at the headquarters of the Higher Sports Council (CSD), without its president, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, who delegated to his general director, Fernando Molinero. "The situation must normalize, and if not, as has happened with other federations, both FIFA and UEFA will have to intervene," pointed out Angelo Rigopoulos, director of integrity of Europe's top body.

Vicente del Bosque also attended the summit as president of the normalization commission created by the Government, a gesture positively valued by FIFA and UEFA. "The CSD wants to help ensure there is an electoral process in the FEF and solve a clear problem that has existed for more than a year," acknowledged Emilio García Silvero, who assured he had received "the guarantee that the electoral process will begin." "We don't care who allows the process to start, whether it's the CSD or the TAD (Administrative Court of Sport), but it must start," demanded FEF's general secretary, Álvaro San Miguel.