FIFA World Cup 2030 Organizing Official Resigns Amid Manipulation Scandal
The controversy erupted after Spanish daily El Mundo published audio recordings in which Tato was heard discussing the alteration of scores in an Excel spreadsheet to favor San Sebastián's Anoeta Stadium over the Balaídos Stadium in Vigo.
According to the audio, Tato and her team altered values in the spreadsheet, running tests repeatedly until they achieved the desired result. One of the excerpts from the recording reveals Tato saying, 'Let's enter values into Excel to see what we get. This is the first test of 800 we'll run until we get the result right.'
Following the publication of these recordings, Tato submitted her resignation to Rafael Louzán, president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), who accepted it.
The scandal centered around the accusation that Tato and her team manipulated the selection process to ensure that Anoeta Stadium in San Sebastián would host World Cup matches, while Vigo's Balaídos Stadium was excluded from consideration.
No technical explanation was provided for the score changes, which sparked outrage, particularly in Vigo, where Mayor Abel Caballero and many locals voiced their anger.
Interestingly, sources close to the investigation revealed that although Louzán had fired Tato in December after hearing about the audio recordings, he chose to keep her in the role at that time.
In an exclusive interview with El Mundo after her resignation, Tato defended herself, claiming she was 'a scapegoat' in a larger political storm. 'I am the victim of a perfect storm, in which political interests and the revenge of the members of the World Cup Committee converge,' Tato said.
She admitted to having initially included Balaídos in the classification but later corrected the scores, citing 'a mistake' in her interpretation of the criteria. 'I simply corrected some errors in interpretation when applying the criteria, and I didn't do it alone,' she explained. Tags: FIFA World Cup 2030Maria TatoSpain World Cup
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
13 hours ago
- Morocco World
FIFA President Tours Morocco's Renovated Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium
Rabat — FIFA President Gianni Infantino toured today the newly reconstructed Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat alongside Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) President Fouzi Lekjaa. FIFA chief commended the facility as one of the most modern and innovative stadiums in the world of football. 'A football stadium today is much more than just a place to play football. It is a symbol for a country and a place to unite people, and this particular stadium is already a true jewel, showing the modern Morocco, a country projecting itself into the future and choosing football to unite the world,' Infantino wrote in a social media post. The stadium underwent complete reconstruction after the original venue was demolished in summer 2023. It represents Morocco's ambitious vision for its footballing future. The stadium is of strategic importance, extending beyond domestic football, positioning Morocco as a key venue for international competitions. The stadium is set to host a semi-final of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, when Morocco co-hosts the tournament alongside Spain and Portugal. Additionally, the facility will play a central role in continental competitions, with plans to host major matches during the 2025 AFCON. The FIFA president's visit reflects Morocco's broader football infrastructure transformation, with the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium serving as an example of the North African country's commitment to modernizing its sporting facilities. Tags: 2025 afconFRMFGianni InfantinoPrince Moulay Abdellah Stadium
Morocco World
13 hours ago
- Morocco World
Over 80 Irregular Immigrants Swim to Ceuta in Summer's Largest Irregular Migration Wave
Rabat — More than 80 people swam to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Saturday in the largest irregular immigration wave of the summer. The group included at least 50 Moroccan and Palestinian minors who braved dangerous sea conditions marked by strong swells and thick coastal fog. Spanish media outlet El Faro de Ceuta reported that rescue operations stretched from Friday afternoon through Saturday night. Spanish maritime units and divers from the Civil Guard's Special Underwater Activities Group (GEAS) worked intensively to save lives in the treacherous waters. The news outlet indicated that official reports confirm that rescuers saved 54 minors and around 30 adults. Most swimmers are reportedly Moroccan, with several Palestinians among them. Children scatter through city streets Despite increased security measures, several minors managed to slip away into different neighborhoods of Ceuta. This suggests the actual number of arrivals may exceed official figures released by authorities. Local authorities immediately transferred the rescued children to temporary reception centers. They also called on the central government to provide emergency assistance to handle the influx. August brings annual migration surge August typically sees a spike in migration attempts to the Ceuta enclave each year, with structural and situational factors driving this pattern, including poverty and unemployment in the region. This time, migrants took advantage of the dense fog that affects Morocco's northern coasts during this period, reducing the effectiveness of maritime radars and making irregular crossings easier to attempt undetected. Morocco's efforts to counter irregular immigration In response to the pressuring irregular immigration challenges across its borders, Morocco succeeded in preventing a total of 78,685 attempts in 2024. The North African country has shown firm response to the growing number of irregular immigration and related practices. Moroccan authorities dismantled 332 human trafficking networks during the same year, defying these groups' collaborative criminal operations. Most intercepted migrants came from West Africa, accounting for 58% of the total, while migrants from the Maghreb represented 12%, and 9% came from East and Central African countries. Tags: ceutaIrregular immigrantsirregular immigration
Morocco World
14 hours ago
- Morocco World
Oussama El Azzouzi Set to Join Auxerre on Loan from Bologna
Moroccan international Oussama El Azzouzi is expected to join AJ Auxerre on loan from Bologna, with the move likely to be confirmed in the coming days. The 24-year-old midfielder will arrive on a season-long loan without an option to buy, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano. El Azzouzi endured a difficult 2024–25 campaign, featuring for just 25 minutes in Serie A due to a serious knee injury. He joined Bologna from Union Saint-Gilloise in 2023 but made only three league appearances during his time in Italy. Capable of playing as a defensive midfielder or centre-back, El Azzouzi was part of Morocco's Olympic squad last summer and has recently broken into the senior national team. His move to Ligue 1 is seen as an opportunity to regain match fitness and secure a place in Walid Regragui's squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted in Morocco from 21 December. Auxerre, who are looking to consolidate their place in Ligue 1, have been active in the transfer market and view El Azzouzi as a low-risk, high-reward addition to their midfield and defensive options. While the loan comes without a long-term commitment, it offers the player a chance to relaunch his career ahead of a busy international calendar that also includes qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
