The regional presidents of RFEF call for President Rubiales to resign

The GIST: Just over a week after forcibly kissing player Jenni Hermoso after Spain’s 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup win, calls for Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales to resign continue to grow louder by the day.

• The increasing demands come as rumors swirl that Spain’s women’s national team head coach Jorge Vilda may also be out of a job soon. So what’s the hold up?

The latest: While Rubiales’ mother began a hunger strike in response to what she deems a “witch hunt” of her son, the regional presidents of RFEF called for Rubiales to resign on Monday.

• It’s a stunning reversal, especially after the federation recently threatened to sue Hermoso and the 80 other Spanish women’s footballers who said they would refuse call-up to the national team as long as Rubiales remains in power.

What’s next: Outside of his resignation, which seems unlikely given his prior history, the fastest way for Rubiales to lose his job is for the RFEF general assembly to give him a vote of no confidence. Why hasn’t that happened? Well, it would have to come from the same general assembly that applauded Rubiales last week when he refused to step down. Not holding our breath.

• If the RFEF doesn’t take action, FIFA, which has already issued Rubiales a provisional 90-day suspension, could ban him from all football for up to 15 years.

• Meanwhile, there’s also a potential criminal case against Rubiales looming. Spanish prosecutors launched a preliminary investigation into the incident on Monday and Hermoso now has two weeks to decide if she wants to formally pursue charges.

• All the while, RFEF is reportedly exploring whether or not they can fire Vilda, Rubiales’ right-hand man, who has been the subject of mistreatment accusations of his own. Enough is enough.