KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTS: World and European federations FIFA and UEFA are monitoring, with increasing concern, the chaotic state of governance of Spanish football.

This follows reports from Spain that the government is prepared to step in and take control of the federation ahead of upcoming elections for a new president to replace the disgraced Luis Rubiales.

A UEFA statement said: “FIFA and UEFA are closely monitoring the situation surrounding RFEF with great concern. FIFA and UEFA will seek additional information to assess the extent to which the appointment by the CSD (Spanish sports council) of a so-called “supervision, normalisation and representation commission” may affect the RFEF’s obligation to manage its affairs independently and without undue government interference.”

The government is considering barring under-pressure acting president Pedro Rocha from the election and appointing an emergency committee to run Spanish football until after the European Championships finals and Olympic Games this summer.

Government interference in domestic organisation is usually a trigger for FIFA to threaten an international suspension though this is considered unlikely at the moment for the 2030 World Cup co-hosts.

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