Former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales will face trial in February 2025 for kissing Women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso on the lips without consent, announced the court overseeing the case on Monday.
Rubiales, 46, caused a global outcry when he kissed Hermoso during the medal ceremony after Spain’s victory over England in the World Cup held in Australia last year.
In May, a court decided to proceed with a trial on charges of sexual assault for the kiss and coercion allegations related to attempts to portray the kiss as consensual, but did not set a specific trial date.
The trial will take place at the Audiencia Nacional, a Madrid court handling complex cases, scheduled from February 3 to 19, as confirmed by the court in a statement.
Prosecutors are seeking a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Rubiales: one year for sexual assault and 18 months for coercion. Additionally, they propose two years of probation and a compensation payment of 50,000 euros ($54,000) to Jenni Hermoso.
Rubiales is also facing investigation in a separate corruption case related to his tenure at the football federation, although he has denied any wrongdoing.
Three other former associates of Rubiales — Jorge Vilda, Albert Luque, and Ruben Rivera — are also on trial for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to defend Rubiales after the incident. Vilda was the former women’s coach, Luque the men’s team director, and Rivera the federation’s marketing chief.
The unsolicited kiss, which occurred live on camera, led to Rubiales being suspended by FIFA, the global football governing body. Rubiales initially described the kiss as consensual, while Hermoso, 34, disputed this characterisation.
Under Spanish law, a non-consensual kiss can be classified as sexual assault, encompassing various forms of sexual violence.
Rubiales, in an interview with Spanish television station La Sexta in April, expressed disbelief at the sexual assault charge, asserting there was no sexual intent behind the kiss.
He also refuted accusations of coercion, maintaining that the situation had been blown out of proportion and stating, “I have a clear conscience.”
Hermoso filed a lawsuit against Rubiales in September, detailing alleged pressures she faced to defend him during the return flight from Australia and a subsequent team trip to Ibiza.
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