Rafael Losan, President of the Spanish Football Federation, confirmed that the Federation has already begun negotiations with Luis de la Fuente, the coach of the first national team, to extend his current contract, which lasts until 2028 and then extends until 2030.
Losan said in an interview with Radio Nacional de España, today, Thursday: “I think this is something Luis deserves, and we are already working on it.” When I assumed the presidency of the federation, within a few months we had to carry out a fair and necessary renewal of the contract of Luis de la Fuente, who had led us to this success, along with his staff. Therefore, we will now work to extend his current contract, which extends until 2028, to extend beyond that or until 2030, because he must be part of this stage.”
Losan praised the Spanish coach, stressing that De La Fuente's "simplicity and work spirit" contributed to leading the team to achieve its recent successes, most notably the 2026 World Cup title.
The head of the Spanish Football Federation explained: “He is the most decorated coach, and perhaps so at the level of all categories of Spanish football. “I believe that his humility and work spirit led us to achieve this success, along with an unforgettable group of players with this Spanish national team.”
The President of the Spanish Federation also expressed his confidence in his country's ability to host the 2030 World Cup final, which is scheduled to be organized jointly by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, explaining: “There is no meaning for another country to host the World Cup final other than Spain.”
He added: “Spain has every intention of doing so, and this is how it should be, because, as I said, we were in the lead from the beginning alongside Portugal, and we have 55 percent of the weight in the World Cup that will be held in 2030, so you already know what Spain means to the world.”
Groups of German club fans intend to organize widespread protests against the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in professional football, during the first round matches of the German Cup, the German News Agency has learned.
The “VAR” technology will not be used during the first round matches. Because the German Cup regulations automatically stipulate that matches will be held in the stadiums of lower division clubs, which do not have the necessary infrastructure to operate a video review system.
The use of the Video Assistant Referee technology begins from the second round of the German Cup, after its previous use began from the round of sixteen. The technology will also continue to be used in the first and second divisions in Germany.
The duties of the video assistant referee technology are scheduled to be expanded in the new season in Germany, as it will be able to intervene in the event of a red card being shown after a player receives a second yellow card in an incorrect and clear manner.
The video assistant referee can also correct the referee’s decision if the card is shown to the wrong player, whether the card is yellow or red. However, unlike in the World Cup held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, decisions related to corner kicks will not be reviewed by VAR in Germany.
Uli Hoeneß, honorary president of the German club Bayern Munich, criticized Swiss Gianni Infantino, president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), for his actions, especially during the recent World Cup.
Hoeness spoke about the incident of the suspension imposed on American striker Folarin Balogun, saying: “Mr. Infantino made some mistakes throughout his football career, but this was one of the biggest.”
Hoeneß, 74 years old, added in statements to the RTL and Sky networks today, Thursday: “If a man like Donald Trump is allowed to decide or influence whether a player should be punished or not, then this is the beginning of the end for sports.” If we accept something like this, this is no longer my sport. “For me, this is unacceptable.”
Balogun's suspension was lifted following a phone call made by US President Donald Trump, a decision that sparked widespread criticism in football circles.
The honorary president of Bayern Munich also criticized Infantino's plans to increase the number of teams participating in the World Cup, from the current 48 teams to 64 teams.
“We have already loaned our players for six weeks, and the period may extend to more than that,” Hoeneß said. "This is unbelievable."
Although he stressed his support for the participation of federations and smaller teams, Hoeneß stressed that “the World Cup must be a tournament for the elite, otherwise it will simply be a matter of increasing the number of television networks that pay for broadcast rights.” But something will be lost in the process: football itself.
