Vulture fund moves to seize Spain team payments across US World Cup hosts | OneFootball

Blasket Renewable Investments has escalated efforts to collect arbitral awards against Spain by targeting payments linked to the national team during the World Cup in the US. According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, the fund has registered a judgment across host jurisdictions to threaten seizure of payments due to suppliers.

Spain has for years refused to pay awards stemming from cuts to renewable subsidies introduced under Mariano Rajoy more than a decade ago. The state faces more than €2.3 billion, including €1.763 billion in compensation and €552 million in interest. The European Commission backs non-payment in most cases on illegal state aid grounds for EU claimants.

Blasket, the largest of these opportunistic funds, holds seven US federal rulings recognising Spain’s payment obligation. It has filed one ruling in districts covering US World Cup host cities to enable potential garnishment of team-related payments during the tournament. The debt has been lodged in federal courts in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Tennessee, Texas and California, with the event also staged in Canada and Mexico.

Expansion to other US jurisdictions was authorised by the federal court in the District of Columbia on 10 April 2026, allowing creditors to register the judgment nationwide. The move is a key step for asset discovery, tracing and possible seizures or payment blocks.

The Ministry for Ecological Transition, led by vice-president Sara Aagesen, maintains the US filings are purely procedural and any seizure would require a dedicated case. The government considers threats to the team to be baseless, noting the Real Federación Española de Fútbol, RFEF, is a private, independent body and that team operations should sit beyond Blasket’s reach.

Blasket is seeking court interception of payments the RFEF will make during its US stay, tied to an ICSID award of €40 million to RREEF that has grown to €74 million with interest. It has served notices on FIFA, Adidas, hotel groups including Hilton, the training base and the logistics provider.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo