Spain targets Nou Camp final in bid for 2035 Rugby World Cup

Spain is bidding to stage the 2035 Rugby World Cup, with Barcelona's Nou Camp proposed as the final venue and major football grounds forming part of its stadium plan. BBC Sport reports that the Spanish Rugby Federation has government and La Liga backing, although World Rugby has not yet chosen a host.

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The potential venues include Real Madrid's Bernabeu and Valencia's Mestalla. Spain has submitted 14 stadiums for consideration, including Bilbao's San Mames, with the list due to shrink to nine or 10 if the bid succeeds. A final at the redeveloped Nou Camp could become the first Rugby World Cup decider played before more than 100,000 spectators.

Spain's proposal is one of three competing bids. Japan, which hosted the men's tournament in 2019, is seeking another edition, while Argentina leads a South American proposal that would also involve Brazil, Chile and Uruguay. That bid would take the competition to South America for the first time. Neither the final host nor Spain's proposed venue selection is confirmed.

According to the BBC, site visits and feasibility assessments are scheduled to begin in December. World Rugby intends to identify its preferred candidate in late spring or summer 2027, with a formal announcement expected during the tournament in Australia that year. The timetable leaves the bidders facing further scrutiny before the hosting decision is announced.

Spanish officials link their proposal to the country's role alongside Morocco and Portugal in hosting football's 2030 World Cup. Federation executive president Juan Carlos Martin expressed confidence in Spain's infrastructure and ability to organise the rugby event. The federation also sees an opportunity to reach Spanish-speaking audiences internationally, placing the bid within its broader ambitions to expand the sport.

Those ambitions include tripling participation in Spain by 2035 and eventually establishing the country as a Tier One rugby nation. Spain has qualified for the 2027 men's World Cup, its first appearance since 1999. It also has experience staging major club occasions: Bilbao hosted European finals weekends in 2018 and 2026, while 99,124 spectators attended the 2016 French Top 14 final at the Nou Camp.