Interim President at Spanish Football Federation calls elections, resignation imminent

Eight months after Luis Rubiales resigned as President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, elections have been called by interim President Pedro Rocha. Rocha, who was a former vice-president under Rubiales, is likely to be a candidate.

Under severe pressure, Rocha will bring to an end his reign as acting president, but only temporarily as far as he hopes. Presidents must resign to present themselves as candidates in the elections. If there is a challenger, then he will run against them in early May.

This comes after the RFEF headquarters were raided two weeks ago in connection with a corruption probe, which has seen seven people taken in for questioning, and five more placed under investigation, including Rubiales. The latter was taken in for questioning upon his arrival back in Spain from the Dominican Republic on Wednesday.

It is not yet clear whether there will be a challenger, but the current elections have been called in part due to protocol. Miguel Galan has put in a legal complaint against Rocha and the RFEF for exceeding the maximum time in office as a interim management, and is seeking the disqualification of Rocha in those elections. The ‘real’ elections, as quoted from Relevo, will take place in October of this year.

Part of the reason for that pressure is that UEFA and FIFA have become increasingly concerned by the repeated scandals in Spanish football, from the Rubiales ongoing sexual assault case, to the corruption probe, to the Negreira corruption case. The RFEF are also a major part of the organisation of the 2030 World Cup. It is thought that part of the reason for the delay in the elections being called is due to Rocha’s failure to gather the necessary support he wants to be assured of, before taking