Spanish seaside city wages war on tourists as locals join forces against huge global event | World | News

Locals in the Basque city of San Sebastián in northern Spain have joined forces to write a letter saying they don’t want to host the 2030 World Cup. The letter from six neighbourhood associations asked Fifa to withdraw it as a venue for the 2030 men’s World Cup. 

San Sebastián was named one of 11 venues for the tournament, which will take place in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. The letter argued the tournament “will only worsen living conditions in our city”. Locals argue that between 2015 and 2024, the number of tourists to San Sebastián – one of the major cities close to the French border – both native and foreigners – climbed to 78%.

The effect on the city has been “brutal”, they claimed: “Residents are being pushed out of the city, public spaces are being reshaped according to commercial interests, infrastructure is being designed to meet the needs of the tourism industry and the local language and culture are being fetishised for marketing purposes”. 

They argued that hosting the Fifa World Cup would “further exacerbate touristification” of the city. 

The city’s mayor criticised the letter on Tuesday. 

Last October, angry residents took to the streets with the rallying cry, “We are in danger; degrow tourism! » to fight back against overtourism, which they say threatens to price them out of their homes. The message echoed across much of Spain, with similar demonstrations witnessed in Malaga, the Canary, and the Balearic Islands. 

The letter argues that the 2030 World Cup would exacerbate the situation and only benefit a “privileged few.” 

“The effects of this mega-event on most of the population are dramatic: the worsening of the housing crisis, the increase in tourist activity, the commodification of urban space, the development of unsustainable transport infrastructure and the implementation of security-driven measures that will constrain daily life.”

“Tourism in our city has already had a major impact on daily life, causing serious harm,” the letter continued. “We therefore believe it is urgent to follow the path of tourism degrowth and hosting events like the Fifa World Cup moves us in precisely the opposite direction.”

According to The Guardian, the city’s mayor, Eneko Goia, quickly distanced himself from the letter, saying: “I honestly don’t share that point of view,” adding that residents should be proud of San Sebastián’s longstanding success of sporting events. 

“If it was up to them, the city would have zero international profile.”

Fifa did not respond to The Guardian’s request for comment. The Express has also contacted Fifa for comment.