Iberia Brings FIFA World Cup Winners Home After Historic Triumph
MADRID — Spain’s national football team returned home in celebration after capturing the 2026 FIFA World Cup, arriving in Madrid aboard a specially chartered Iberia Airbus A350-900 that had also transported the squad to the tournament just weeks earlier.
The nonstop charter flight, operating as IB1410, departed from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and landed at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) on Monday, July 20. The aircraft carried the newly crowned world champions, coaching staff, support personnel, and the FIFA World Cup trophy back to Spain following the nation’s second men’s World Cup title.
The arrival attracted significant public attention, with thousands of aviation enthusiasts and football fans following the aircraft’s journey across the Atlantic using flight-tracking services before it touched down in the Spanish capital.
Flight IB1410 Completes Championship Journey
Special Charter Crosses the Atlantic
The Airbus A350-900 departed Newark in the early hours of Monday morning after a brief delay. According to flight data reported by Simple Flying, the aircraft was scheduled to leave at 1:42 a.m. local time but pushed back from the gate approximately 18 minutes later before becoming airborne around 2:00 a.m.
The long-haul flight covered approximately 3,605 miles (5,803 kilometers) nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean in about six hours and 30 minutes before arriving at Madrid-Barajas Airport at roughly 2:30 p.m. local time.
Upon arrival, Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente was the first member of the delegation to disembark. Team captain Rodri followed, lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy at the top of the aircraft’s airstairs as supporters welcomed the victorious squad home. A Spanish flag displayed from the cockpit window added to the celebratory atmosphere as the aircraft taxied toward the terminal.
The homecoming marked the first time the men’s national team had returned to Spanish soil since winning football’s biggest international prize.
Spain Claims Second FIFA World Cup Title
Historic Victory Caps Outstanding Tournament
Spain secured its second FIFA World Cup championship, ending a 16-year wait since the nation’s first triumph at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the final as Spain defeated Argentina. The Spanish side maintained its advantage through extra time after Argentina was reduced to 10 players following the late dismissal of Enzo Fernández.
Rodri received the tournament’s prestigious Golden Ball award as its best player, highlighting Spain’s dominance throughout the competition.
The team also completed an exceptional defensive campaign, conceding just one goal during the entire tournament, making it the only nation to achieve that feat in the competition.
The victory also created a rare milestone in international football, with Spain simultaneously holding both the FIFA Men’s and FIFA Women’s World Cup titles, as the Spanish women remain reigning world champions.
Special Airbus A350 Celebrates National Team
World Cup Livery Honors Spain’s Success
The aircraft assigned to the championship charter was Iberia’s Airbus A350-900, registered EC-MYX, which carried a specially designed FIFA World Cup 2026 promotional livery.
As an official sponsor of Spain’s national football team, Iberia decorated the aircraft with large images of players across the rear fuselage alongside the Spanish-language slogan, “Despega un equipo, vuela un país,” which translates to “A team takes off, a country flies.”
The design also included a single star representing Spain’s first World Cup title won in 2010.
Notably, the same aircraft played a central role in the team’s entire World Cup campaign. On June 5, it transported the Spanish squad from Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport in Galicia to Nashville International Airport in the United States, providing access to the team’s training base before the tournament began.
By operating both the outbound and return charter flights, the Airbus A350 accompanied Spain throughout its championship journey—from departure as tournament contenders to arrival as world champions.
Aircraft Named After Spanish Cultural Icon
‘Paco de Lucía’ A350 Joined Iberia in 2018
Beyond its temporary World Cup branding, Airbus A350-900 EC-MYX carries the name “Paco de Lucía,” honoring Francisco Sánchez Gómez, the internationally acclaimed Spanish flamenco guitarist, composer, and producer who performed under the stage name Paco de Lucía.
The aircraft completed its maiden flight on July 17, 2018, under the test registration F-WZHC, before being delivered to Iberia on July 27 of the same year.
Configured in a three-class cabin, the widebody aircraft accommodates up to 348 passengers and serves as one of the flagship aircraft in Iberia’s long-haul fleet. Its role in transporting Spain’s national team both to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and back home with the championship trophy has made it a memorable part of the nation’s latest football achievement.
