Spain has officially entered the race to host the 2035 Men's Rugby World Cup, putting forward an ambitious proposal anchored by some of the most famous football arenas in Europe. Under the submitted plans, the tournament's climax would take place at Barcelona's newly renovated Nou Camp stadium.

If the Spanish bid succeeds, the Nou Camp would set a historic attendance benchmark for the sport. The venue, which has undergone major modernization work scheduled for completion in early 2028, could host the tournament final in front of a crowd exceeding 100,000 spectators.

The Spanish Rugby Federation has outlined a vision to stage what it describes as the premier tournament in the sport's history. Organizers intend to leverage the vast linguistic and cultural reach of the Spanish language, which connects an estimated 700 million speakers around the globe.

The national bid enjoys backing from both the Spanish government and La Liga. A total of 14 venues have been proposed to World Rugby, featuring iconic grounds such as Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu and Valencia’s Mestalla, alongside Bilbao's San Mames. Should the bid win approval, this initial list of stadiums would eventually be streamlined to nine or ten hosting locations.

Spanish sports authorities believe the tournament would capitalize on momentum generated by the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Spain is set to co-host alongside Morocco and Portugal. Juan Carlos Martin 'Hansen', the executive president of the Spanish federation, expressed absolute faith in the country's logistical capabilities and modern sporting infrastructure.

The bid also aligns with broader domestic ambitions to elevate the profile of rugby within the country. Federation leaders aim to triple participation rates by 2035 and transition Spain into a Tier One rugby nation. This push coincides with the men's national team qualifying for the 2027 tournament in Australia, marking their first appearance at the global showcase since 1999.

Spain is not alone in pursuing the 2035 hosting rights. World Rugby has also received bids from Japan and a South American coalition led by Argentina, which would also involve Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay.

World Rugby plans to conduct site visits and feasibility evaluations starting in December. The governing body is expected to select its preferred candidate by the late spring or summer of 2027, with a formal announcement anticipated during the tournament in Australia.

The global rugby calendar for the coming decade is already mapped out. Australia will host the men's tournaments in 2027 and women's events in 2029, followed by the United States hosting the men's and women's editions in 2031 and 2033 respectively.

Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC Sport. Read the original report at BBC Sport.