Spanish Super Cup to be played in Saudi Arabia from 2020-22
The Spanish Football Federation said the deal had been struck for three seasons and women would be allowed to attend without restrictions.
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The Spanish Super Cup will be staged in Saudi Arabia over the next three years, the Spanish Football Federation has confirmed. The 2019-20, four-team edition featuring Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Atlético Madrid will take place between 8 and 12 January and women will be allowed to attend the games as part of the contract signed between the RFEF and the Saudi authorities.
"Saudi women will be allowed to attend the three games freely, without restrictions and wearing whatever clothes they feel is appropriate. There will not be an area of the stadium specifically set aside for them and that is written in the contract. It will not be the Super Cup of shame. We have an agreement with the Saudi Federation to also stage a women’s tournament there and that is something we will do. We are going to Saudi Arabia because it is good for Spanish football and it’s important for us to be recognized even more because we want to host a World Cup with Portugal,” a spokesman for RFEF chief Luis Rubiales said on Monday.
Amnesty International have protested against the idea of staging the tournament in Saudi Arabia, launching an online campaign against the competition. Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué acted as a go-between for the RFEF and Saudi authorities through his Kosmos sports events company, which will also organise the Davis Cup in Madrid for the next three years, although the RFEF was quick to point out Piqué was not acting in any official capacity for the governing body.
India, China and Qatar also bid for Super Cup
The three games – two semi-finals and a final – will be played at the King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah. India, China and Qatar had also expressed an interest in staging the tournament but Saudi Arabia’s financial offer was better.
As yet, there are no plans to put on a Women’s Super Cup, which would have featured league champions Atlético and cup winners Real Sociedad. "We have spoken this year for the first time about a Women’s Super Cup, and also about playing it abroad. The first one has to be played in Spain, then we’ll see. Saudi Arabia could be an option in the future,” RFEF sources said.