The Bilbao City Council has reaffirmed its commitment to the 2030 Football World Cup bid, with Mayor Juan Mari Aburto stating the city's desire to host the event. "FIFA wants to come to Bilbao and Bilbao wants the World Cup," the mayor concluded, ending a debate that arose weeks ago regarding the suitability of a shared hosting decision.
Aburto emphasized that his team "has always defended" the World Cup and acknowledged accusations of "opacity," but pledged to share "all the work" conducted with the international football governing body.
FIFA will conduct another visit to Bilbao next September to assess the status of the bid, which will ultimately be shared with Donostia following an agreement among all involved institutions. Nora Abete, spokesperson for the PSE and deputy mayor of Bilbao, admitted that "we would have preferred to be a sole host," but they will continue working towards Bilbao's selection and ensuring the World Cup leaves "a legacy" in the city.
The popular proposition urged a guarantee of Bilbao's commitment to hosting championship matches. However, the governing team introduced an amendment to continue negotiations regarding the 2030 World Cup bid, as well as ongoing discussions with FIFA, the RFEF, the Superior Sports Council, and other institutions, focusing on safeguarding Bilbao's interests. The motion passed with the support of the municipal government, abstentions from EH Bildu and Elkarrekin Bilbao, and a rejection from the PP.
A week after the appearance of Kontxi Claver, councilor for Economic Development, Commerce, Tourism, and Employment, to explain Bilbao's position on FIFA's new requirements, the stance of each political group has been clarified. Xabier Jiménez of Elkarrekin Bilbao questioned whether the councilor had detailed the "red lines" set by the City Council for the bid. Xabier Fernández of EH Bildu echoed similar sentiments, stressing that the international organization "cannot govern our cities."
FIFA's demands prevent the full disclosure of all matters related to Bilbao's selection, but Claver highlighted that the municipal priority is to "defend the interests" of the city, and that the 2030 World Cup "will not come to Bilbao at any price or under any condition." She also emphasized the capital's "capacity, experience, and fame" for hosting various international events, such as the European rugby finals held last May at San Mamés.
