The Ongoing Corruption Probe Involving Former RFEF President Luis Rubiales

Former Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales has found himself at the center of a corruption probe related to the decision to move the Spanish Supercopa to Saudi Arabia. The events unfolded with police raids at an apartment belonging to Rubiales in Granada and at the RFEF’s headquarters in Madrid, while Rubiales himself was out of the country in the Dominican Republic. Several arrests were made, but Rubiales was only placed under investigation, with no arrest warrant issued at the time.

Despite conflicting reports, Rubiales is planning to return to Spain on April 6 with his family to cooperate with the authorities. He was previously involved in a scandal where he resigned as president of the RFEF after a nonconsensual incident with a player during the Women’s World Cup. FIFA subsequently banned him from football-related activities for three years. However, this new investigation is focusing on the 2019 agreement to move the Supercopa to Saudi Arabia, a decision that stirred controversy in the Spanish football community.

The agreement to take the Supercopa to the Middle East was brokered by former Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué’s company Kosmos. The deal, reportedly worth €120 million, was initially signed for three years and has since been extended. This move to host the competition outside of Spain and change its format to include four teams raised concerns among traditionalists within Spanish football. Additionally, questions were raised about Piqué’s involvement due to his active playing career at the time and the potential conflict of interest it posed.

Investigation and Legal Proceedings

In June 2022, leaked audios of messages between Piqué and Rubiales detailed possible commissions involved in the deal, prompting a Spanish court to launch an investigation. The focus of the probe is whether Rubiales committed a crime of improper management in agreeing to move the competition. This week, a judge issued a warrant to search 11 premises for documents related to the case, including Rubiales’ property in Granada and the RFEF’s headquarters in Madrid. Notably, no employees of Kosmos have been detained or placed under investigation in connection with the probe.

The ongoing corruption probe involving former RFEF president Luis Rubiales has cast a shadow over the decision to move the Spanish Supercopa to Saudi Arabia. As Rubiales prepares to return to Spain to cooperate with authorities, the investigation into the 2019 agreement continues to raise questions about transparency and accountability in Spanish football. The outcome of this probe could have far-reaching implications for the future of football governance in Spain.