Luis Rubiales news LIVE: Spain manager Jorge Vilda set for sack but FA president clings to power

Luis Rubiales’ future as president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) could go some way to being decided on Friday, as the incident with Jenni Hermoso could yet see him banned from sport for two to 15 years. The 46-year-old is being described as “cornered” by those with knowledge of the situation, as scores of public criticisms have led to three formal complaints over whether his behaviour constituted an infraction of Spain’s sports law, which sanctions sexist acts.

That comes amid increasing political pressure that is now affecting the country’s 2030 World Cup bid. It is understood that Rubiales is not yet considering resigning, though Fifa has now opened its own disciplinary proceedings against him.

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has described the behaviour of Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales as “inappropriate” – but called for Fifa’s investigation to be allowed to run its course.

Rubiales has refused to quit for kissing Spain player Jenni Hermoso after their World Cup final win over England on August 20.

All of Spain’s 23 World Cup winners, plus another 58 players, have said they will not represent their country until Rubiales has left his post.

Rubiales, 46, was provisionally suspended by world governing body Fifa on Saturday for an initial period of 90 days pending an investigation into his conduct in Sydney after Spain’s victory.

Gareth Southgate has responded to Luis Rubiales’ Women’s World Cup final kiss, saying it is “very sad” that the focus is not on what Spain achieved on the pitch.

The England manager was questioned on the scandal surrounding the Spanish football federation’s president as he announced his squad on Thursday.

“When you’re a male in a leadership position, you’ve got a huge responsibility in terms of how you behave,” Southgate said.

“My second thought would be with the Spanish team because they played unbelievably well and deserve a huge amount of credit... it’s very sad for them that the focus is not on what they did on the pitch.”

The mother of suspended Spanish football president Luis Rubiales has been taken to hospital three days into a hunger strike after locking herself in a church.

Angeles Bejar staged her protest to try to end what she dubbed an “inhumane witch-hunt” against her son after the Spanish Football Federation (Rfef) asked him to resign.

Mr Rubiales was suspended by Fifa for kissing Women’s World Cup winner, Jenni Hermoso, on the lips in an act the footballer says she did not consent to.

His mother had started her hunger strike on Monday in Montril, southern Spain, and vowed to continue despite her son’s pleas for her to stop.

s of Wednesday afternoon, Luis Rubiales was completely isolated and yet still officially the head of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (Rfef). It is an absurd situation that symbolises so much about a story that is at once so serious and also utterly farcical, not least when it comes to the organisation itself.

The regional chiefs that form the Rfef’s assembly finally turned on Rubiales by requesting his resignation on Monday, but they don’t actually have the power to force it. The 46-year-old still has to take the decision, which would come just days after he repeatedly announced: “I am not resigning!”. In the meantime, he is suspended from all football-related activities by Fifa, which could take it even further once its investigation concludes.

So much of this story has developed from Rubiales’ distinctive personality, to put it generously. And yet the very fact such a personality is so difficult to remove from the role is a reflection of something much bigger, which has also provoked even more discussions about what Spanish football has been and where it is going.

Fifa President Gianni Infantino said Luis Rubiales “spoiled” the Spanish team’s celebrations at the Women’s World Cup by kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips.

The world governing body has opened disciplinary proceedings against Spanish federation (RFEF) chief Rubiales and suspended him from all soccer-related activities for three months after kissing Hermoso during the trophy presentation ceremony after the final on Aug. 20.

Hermoso, 33, has said the kiss was not consensual.

Rubiales, who first called critics “idiots” then apologised, says the kiss was innocent and consensual and has refused to quit despite mounting criticism and calls for his resignation.

“The well-deserved celebrations for these magnificent champions were spoiled by what happened after the final whistle,” Infantino, who was at the presentation, wrote on Instagram on Thursday.

“And what continued to happen in the following days. This should never have happened. FIFA’s disciplinary bodies immediately assumed their responsibility and took the necessary actions.

“The disciplinary proceedings will continue their legitimate course. On our side, we should continue to focus on how to further support women and women’s football in future, both on and off the pitch.”

The Spanish Football Federation is considering whether it has grounds to sack Spain Women’s World Cup-winning head coach Jorge Vilda, according to reports.

Vilda is still in the post after most of his coaching staff resigned in protest against federation (Rfef) president Luis Rubiales, who has refused to quit for kissing Spain player Jenni Hermoso after their World Cup final win.

All of Spain’s 23 World Cup winners, plus another 58 players, have said they will not represent their country until Rubiales has left his post.

He was applauded by Vilda after repeatedly insisting that he would not quit at the Rfef’s extraordinary general meeting last Friday and the federation is exploring its options over whether they can sack the head coach.

That’s all for today. Here is the latest news on the Luis Rubiales crisis:

• Rubiales attacked by uncle in explosive interview and accused of needing ‘re-education about women’
• Spain manager and Rubiales loyalist Jorge Vilda set to be sacked by Spanish Football Federation
• Rubiales’ mother ends hunger strike in Spanish church after three days and admitted to hospital
• Suspended president sends Fifa video of Jenni Hermoso appearing to joke about kiss incident

Luis Rubiales has sent new video to Fifa appearing to show Jenni Hermoso laughing over his infamous kiss, as the Spanish Football Federation president continues to desperately cling to power.

Rubiales was suspended from all football-related activity for 90 days while Fifa investigates the incident, in which he grabbed Spain forward Hermoso and kissed her on the lips during the World Cup final presentation in Sydney. He was also seen handling other players and kissing them on the cheek in the aftermath of the 1-0 victory over England, and footage also showed him grabbing his crotch in an aggressive celebration.

Rubiales has received widespread condemnation from across sport and politics, including the prime minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez, but he has denied wrongdoing, insisting the kiss was consensual and refusing to resign in a dramatic press conference. His mother has gone on hunger strike in protest against the “witch-hunt” and is currently being treated in hospital.