A Spanish court has found Luis Rubiales, the former president of Spain’s football federation, guilty of sexually assaulting footballer Jenni Hermoso by kissing her without consent after the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.

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On Thursday, June 20, 2025, the High Court of Spain ordered Rubiales to pay a fine of over €10,000 ($10,434) for the offense. However, he was cleared of an additional charge of coercion.

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Rubiales has denied any wrongdoing and told Reuters that he plans to appeal the ruling, stating: "I will continue to fight."

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The case received widespread attention because it overshadowed Spain's victory in the Women’s World Cup and fueled discussions about gender equality and respect for women in sports.

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During the trial, Rubiales insisted that Hermoso had agreed to the kiss, but the player firmly denied this. Judge Jose Manuel Fernandez-Prieto ruled in Hermoso’s favor, stating that the kiss was without consent and amounted to sexual assault.

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However, the judge also noted that the act did not involve violence or intimidation and was considered less severe, so Rubiales was spared a prison sentence. Instead, he must pay the fine.

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The incident has sparked global conversations about respect and fairness in women’s football, with many calling for greater protection for female athletes.

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"The pecuniary penalty must be chosen, which is less serious than the custodial sentence," he said in his ruling.

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A Spanish court has cleared Luis Rubiales of coercion charges related to his attempt to downplay the kiss he gave Jenni Hermoso during the 2023 Women's World Cup awards ceremony in Sydney.

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Three other former football officials—ex-women’s team coach Jorge Vilda, men’s team sports director Albert Luque, and marketing head Ruben Rivera—were also found not guilty of coercion.

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As part of the ruling, Rubiales is now banned from going within 200 meters of Hermoso or contacting her in any way for one year.

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Instead of a prison sentence, the court ordered him to pay a fine of €20 per day for 18 months, adding up to a total penalty of €10,800 ($11,270).

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During the trial, Hermoso said the unsolicited kiss from her boss and the commotion that followed "tainted one of the happiest days of my life," while her teammates testified it left her overwhelmed, crying and exhausted in the following hours and days.

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Hermoso's lawyer told Reuters it was up to his client to decide if "she wants to keep up the fight" after Rubiales avoided a prison sentence.

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The Association of Spanish Footballers (AFE), which was a private prosecutor in the case, said the ruling was "a significant step forward in the defence of women's rights and in the fight for a sport free of abuse and inequality."

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"When there is no consent there is assault and that is what the judge certifies in this sentence. The victim's word is honoured, as the law stipulates, and should not be questioned," Ana Redondo, Equality Minister in the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, wrote on X.

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