A historic football venue steeped in Spanish tradition has now turned down the chance to host matches at the 2030 World Cup.
Despite significant recent investment, Deportivo de la Coruna has opted against expanding its ground to meet FIFA's stadium hosting requirements.
Deportivo de la Coruna's Estadio de Riazor pulls out of hosting 2030 World Cup games
Deportivo de La Coruna have withdrawn Estadio de Riazor from the list of potential venues for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which will be held across Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
The stadium, which is one of the oldest in Galicia and a ground that hosted matches during the 1982 World Cup, had initially been selected as a host venue.
However, that inclusion depended on increasing its current capacity of just over 32,000 to at least 40,000, with early proposals even targeting 48,000.
While work has already begun on improvements, with approximately £90 million invested, the club has now decided against a full expansion and will instead scale back plans.
President Juan Carlos Escotet confirmed the focus remains on enhancing the matchday experience rather than pursuing a costly redevelopment tied to World Cup hosting.
FGG says: Estadio Riazor expansion not practical for Deportivo de la Coruna
From a practical standpoint, the decision absolutely makes sense for Deportivo.
The club currently competes outside Spain’s top tier and does not fill the stadium on a consistent basis, so making a jump to 40,000-plus capacity is difficult to justify financially.
Expanding purely to meet tournament criteria would risk creating a venue that is too large for regular demand, while also placing further strain on the club’s finances during construction.
In the long run, prioritising sustainability over prestige looks like the smarter move, even if it means missing out on the global spotlight of the 2030 World Cup.