Spain’s football federation is set to reward Luis de la Fuente with a contract extension through to the 2030 World Cup after he guided La Roja to a historic global and continental double.
Spain were crowned 2026 World Cup champions after a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final, securing the nation’s second world title and confirming their return to the elite of international football.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has decided to extend De la Fuente’s deal, which currently runs until after Euro 2028, so that he remains in charge through the 2030 World Cup – a tournament Spain will co-host and which carries “special symbolic significance” for the country’s football authorities.
A night Madrid will not forget
In the hours following the narrow win over Argentina, Madrid turned into a sea of red and yellow as thousands of fans flooded the streets to celebrate.
On a specially erected stage in the Spanish capital, De la Fuente and his players shared what was described as a “historic moment” with their supporters, proudly lifting the World Cup trophy at the end of a campaign that has reshaped how a new generation in Spain views the national team.
The coach, who had already led Spain to the Euro 2024 title, was hailed as one of the chief architects of this resurgence, having restored a winning identity and consistency to a side that had struggled to match the heights of the 2008–2012 golden era.
This back‐to‐back success – Nations League, then Euro 2024, and now the 2026 World Cup – has reinforced Spain’s status as a benchmark in world football.
From under-21 coach to top-tier status
De la Fuente was promoted from Spain’s under-21 side and, AS reports, initially signed a contract “far below” the salary level of the world’s leading national team coaches.
His triumph in the UEFA Nations League, followed by the Euro 2024 title, gradually elevated his standing within the game and inside the RFEF. However, reaching an agreement over a pay rise that reflected his new status has not been straightforward.
With salaries for national team managers rising globally, the federation has faced pressure to recognise De la Fuente’s transformed profile and ensure he is remunerated in line with his achievements and market value.
The internal objective, AS says, is to secure a two-year extension to his current agreement, keeping him in charge until the end of the 2030 World Cup cycle.
Federation president backs long-term project
Rafael Lozan, the president of the Spanish federation, is understood to be the driving force behind the push to keep De la Fuente at the helm for another four years.
He believes the current coach is “the ideal person” to lead Spain’s sporting project through to 2030, when the country will be one of the tournament’s hosts and the focus of global attention.
Lozan is said to view it as only logical that the reigning world champion coach should be the one preparing Spain for what he considers the next great milestone in the nation’s football history. The ambition is not only to defend Spain’s position at the top of the game but to build a lasting legacy over multiple tournaments.
In an interview with AS before the World Cup final, Lozan stated his desire to meet De la Fuente and his representatives soon to move the talks forward and finalise an agreement.
Eyes already on 2030
Behind the scenes, sporting planning is expected to continue around the core principles that have underpinned Spain’s recent success – control in possession, collective pressing, and a balance between experienced figures and emerging talents.
The federation sees continuity in the technical area as crucial to maintaining Spain’s competitive edge, especially as the country prepares to host part of a World Cup for the first time since 1982.
While celebrations over the 2026 triumph continue, the RFEF’s decision to act quickly on De la Fuente’s future underlines a clear intention: to ensure that the coach who brought Spain back to the summit of world football is also the one who leads them into their next home World Cup.
