Spain has officially launched the next phase of its bid to host the 2035 Men's Rugby World Cup.
Plans have been released to the media, for a tournament featuring iconic football stadiums, improved rugby infrastructure and a major push to grow the sport nationwide.
The Spanish Rugby Federation (RFER) has submitted the required documentation to World Rugby and is now advancing its campaign under the banner ‘Bridge the World’.
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The ambition is to stage what it describes as the best Rugby World Cup in history.
Spain's proposal is backed by the national government, regional authorities and Spain's premier football competition LaLiga.
The country looks to capitalise on its growing sporting infrastructure and establish itself as a major force in international rugby.
Spain plans to use World Cup infrastructure
A central pillar of the bid is Spain's ability to host major sporting events, with the country set to stage matches at the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Portugal and Morocco.
The RFER believes the tournament will provide a significant head start. Stadiums, transport networks, security systems and volunteer programmes will being tested and developed ahead of 2035.
The proposed venue list includes some of Spain's most recognisable sporting arenas. Barcelona's Camp Nou, Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu and Atlético Madrid's Metropolitano.
Eight proposed stadiums have capacities exceeding 50,000.
Camp Nou's listed capacity of 105,000 raises the possibility of a Rugby World Cup final attracting more than 100,000 spectators for the first time.
Other potential venues include San Mamés in Bilbao, Anoeta in San Sebastián, La Cartuja in Seville and Valencia's Nou Mestalla.
The current list is not final. The next phase of discussions with World Rugby will narrow the options to a preferred selection of nine or 10 match venues.
Spain's growing rugby credentials
Spain is not starting from scratch when it comes to hosting major rugby events.
Bilbao has staged two European Professional Club Rugby finals weekends, with the most recent attracting more than 90,000 fans.
Barcelona also holds the record for the best-attended club rugby match, after 99,124 spectators watched the French Top 14 final at the city's Olympic Stadium in 2016.
Madrid hosted the HSBC SVNS Grand Final in 2024, while Valladolid staged the HSBC SVNS World Championship in 2026.
Further editions of the latter event have already been confirmed for 2027 and 2028.
On the international stage, Spain's men's national team, Los Leones, have qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, marking their first appearance at the tournament since 1999.
That qualification provides an important sporting foundation for the 2035 bid, with the federation hoping that hosting the tournament could accelerate the national team's development and strengthen Spain's position in European rugby.
RFER executive president Juan Carlos Martín ‘Hansen’ believes the next nine years could represent a defining period for Spanish rugby.
“Over the past two decades, our commitment to rugby has led to extraordinary progress, and the next nine years could mark a step change for the sport across Spain,” he said.
Martín added that Spain's culture of hospitality and togetherness aligned naturally with the values of international rugby, arguing that the tournament could become a turning point for the sport's global growth.
Can Spain win the race to host 2035?
Spain's proposal combines large-capacity stadiums, established transport infrastructure, government backing and experience of hosting major international sporting events.
The potential involvement of venues already being prepared for the 2030 FIFA World Cup could also reduce the need for extensive new stadium construction.
With Los Leones preparing for their return to the Rugby World Cup in 2027, the RFER has a significant opportunity to build momentum towards 2035.
For now, the ‘Bridge the World’ campaign marks the next stage of Spain's ambition to bring the sport's biggest international tournament to the country for the first time.
