Spain Could Lose Its Spot in the 2018 World Cup — Here's How

FIFA has announced that Spain could lose its spot in the 2018 World Cup in Russia if the government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy doesn’t stop “meddling” in the presidential elections of the Spanish Football Federation, RFEF.

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The RFEF is presided over by interim President Juan Luis Larrea until 2020 given that former President Angel Maria Villar was jailed earlier this year on corruption charges.

FIFA has found out that the governmental National Sports Council, NSC, has been pushing the RFEF to hold new presidential elections, taking both Larrea and Villar out of their respective positions. Larrea, from the Basque region, has said in past interviews that he has no intention of stepping down prematurely. According to FIFA, the NSC interference in RFEF affairs is against the international federation’s rules.

FIFA said in a letter to RFEF that they are “worried” about the federation’s situation. FIFA said it is “reminding RFEF of its agreement to FIFA statues, that all member federations need to administer their issues in an independent way that does not include any interference on part of third parties in internal issues.”

For FIFA, the NSC interference "puts the (Spanish) federation’s autonomy at risk, and would be a serious violation of its own statutes.”

Rajoy said Friday in response to the FIFA warning that he’s dismissing the accusations.

"I’m absolutely convinced that Spain will go to the World (Cup) in Russia and what’s more, we’ll win,” he said. According to Rajoy, the government received a summons for a FIFA hearing.