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Madrid prepares a major celebration if Spain win the World Cup
Madrid is already looking beyond the World Cup final. If Spain beat Argentina this Sunday, the capital will have an exceptional Monday afternoon, with a celebration route, traffic closures, changes to public transport and a large gathering planned in Plaza de Cibeles.
The announced operation envisages the national team travelling through Madrid in open-top buses after its return to Spain. The procession would leave from the vicinity of the Moncloa Interchange and finish at Cibeles, the chosen location for the meeting with supporters if La Roja win their second World Cup.
The final details of the route still depend on the Royal Spanish Football Federation, but the Government Delegation has put the plan forward because of the scale of the event. The idea is to prepare, with room to spare, for a celebration that, in the event of victory, would mobilise thousands of people in the city centre.
Arrival at Cibeles would be the most eagerly anticipated moment. There, the installation of a stage is being considered so that the players can greet supporters, in an image that would link the world title with one of Madrid's most symbolic spaces for major sporting celebrations.
Monday afternoon will not be an ordinary time for mobility. Traffic closures, diversions of bus routes and possible temporary closures of Metro and Renfe stations are expected depending on attendance and security needs. Those working or travelling through the centre should check routes before setting off.
The security operation will be extensive. Five hundred National Police officers would accompany the procession, together with 150 Civil Guard officers, including the Traffic Group. There would also be specialist units, mounted police, dog handlers, helicopters, drones and reinforcements at the airport.
Surveillance would begin even earlier. On Sunday, more than 500 officers will secure Cibeles against possible spontaneous gatherings during or after the final. Between Sunday and Monday, the total deployment could reach 1,450 officers.
The possible celebration would also affect bars, shops, terraces and residents along the Moncloa-Cibeles axis. A Spanish victory would turn Monday into a day of flags, shirts, closed streets and a mixture of sporting excitement and logistical tension.
The scene offers a very Madrid image of major occasions: a city capable of going from the work routine to a mass celebration in a matter of hours. Everything will depend on the result against Argentina, but Madrid already has the map of a celebration that could remain in the collective memory ready.