A million people expected to welcome home Spain's World Cup champion

Spain’s World Cup-winning football team will parade through central Madrid on Monday afternoon in front of an expected crowd of one million, authorities said.

The Spanish added the world crown to their European one they won in 2024 when they beat 10-man Argentina 1-0 after extra-time.

The squad is due to land at Madrid airport at 12:50 pm local time (1050 GMT).

The players will then travel from near the Moncloa Palace, the official residence of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, to Cibeles Square, the central government's representative in Madrid, Francisco Martin, told Spanish public television.

A ceremony involving the players will then be held at the square, the traditional gathering point for celebrations by the Spanish national team and its supporters.

Around one million people are expected to line the parade route, with additional security and transport measures planned to handle the crowds, Martin said.

A total of 2,050 police officers and 400 Civil Guard personnel will be deployed, he added.

Madrid was already preparing for a night of festivities after the final, with thousands of supporters who gathered in bars and three fan zones pouring out into the streets in celebration.

Spain’s last World Cup victory came in 2010, when hundreds of thousands of supporters welcomed the team home in Madrid after their win in South Africa.