Spain Women players agree to end boycott after Spanish FA announce they will make 'immediate and profound' changes

Spain players have ended their boycott after seven hours of overnight talks near Valencia; the players wanted changes to the national game after Luis Rubiales' kiss on Jenni Hermoso at the Women's World Cup final; Spain will now begin training on Wednesday ahead of the Nations League games

Wednesday 20 September 2023 07:31, UK

Spain's World Cup-winning women's squad have agreed to end their boycott after the Spanish FA said it would make «immediate and profound changes» to its structure.

The decision was reached around 5 am local time after more than seven hours of meetings at a hotel in Oliva, an hour from Valencia, involving the players, Spanish FA (RFEF) officials, the National Sports Council (CSD) and the women's players' union FUTPRO.

The players had said they would not represent Spain until there were further changes at the federation, deepening a crisis that started after former Spanish FA president boss Luis Rubiales kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the World Cup presentation ceremony.

«A joint commission will be created between RFEF, CSD and players to follow up on the agreements, which will be signed [on Thursday],» CSD president Victor Francos said.

«The players have expressed their concern about the need for profound changes in the RFEF, which has committed to making these changes immediately.»

Neither Francos nor Rafael del Amo, president of the RFEF committee for women's football, would elaborate on the changes to be made, only saying they would be announced «soon».

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«The players see it as a rapprochement of positions. It is the beginning of a long road ahead of us,» FUTPRO president Amanda Gutierrez said.

Rubiales banned from going near