Not long ago, the Real Federación Española de Rugby went bankrupt, and the men’s team were disqualified from two successive World Cup qualifying campaigns for fielding ineligible players. Now, they have their largest budget ever, and are competing for their first-ever knockout stage in the World Cup.
The Rebuild That Made It Possible
Under president Juan Carlos Martín Sánchez, the federation restructured its finances and governance, growing its annual budget from €5.4 million in 2022 to more than €11.5 million by 2024 through sponsorship growth, event income and increased support from World Rugby and Spain’s Higher Sports Council.
The appointment of Argentine coach Pablo Bouza in late 2023 completed the reset, bringing a high-performance philosophy shaped by years inside Argentina’s rugby system.
Los Leones Return to the World Stage
In February 2025, Spain beat Switzerland 43-13 to qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, their first appearance since 1999.
The journey included a historic first win over a Pacific Island nation against Tonga in July 2024 and a run to the Rugby Europe Championship final in 2025.
Drawn in Pool C against Argentina, Fiji, and Canada, Bouza has set reaching the knockout stages as the team’s target.
Las Leonas Lead the Way
Las Leonas have won seven consecutive Rugby Europe Women’s Championship titles, claimed the WXV 3 crown in 2024 and returned to the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England in 2025 for the first time since 2017.
Ahead of the tournament, the federation introduced six-month bursaries covering living costs for the full squad, the first financial support of its kind for Spanish women’s rugby.
A Pipeline Taking Shape
A growing number of Spanish players signed for French Pro D2 clubs ahead of the 2025-26 season, gaining experience in one of Europe’s most competitive environments before returning to strengthen the national squad.
The Castilla y León Iberians, originally a regional franchise drawing from Valladolid’s two dominant clubs, were remodelled in 2025-26 as a national development bridge and won the Rugby Europe Super Cup in 2026.
Spain now has a coherent pathway from grassroots to international level that has not existed before.
What’s Next
Spain compete in the inaugural World Rugby Nations Cup in 2026, guaranteeing competitive tier-two fixtures through the year and into November. Australia 2027 will be the biggest stage Spanish rugby has stood on in a generation, and for the first time, the foundations beneath it look solid.
Follow RugbyPass for live rugby scores, including from Los Leones and Castilla y León Iberians, and everything else rugby.
