Delia Rodrigo, the head of Majadahonda's Court of Instruction No. 4, is investigating, among other things, the contract that led to the transfer of the Supercopa de España (currently involving the Copa del Rey finalists and the La Liga champion and runners-up, previously only the champions) to Saudi Arabia.

The Spanish judge has summoned the former Barcelona star as an "investigated" person (the term for "accused" in Spain, changed in 2015).

Being charged means that the investigating judge has found that there is evidence, either through a complaint or a lawsuit, that the person being investigated may have committed a crime. As a result, the judge decides to carry out the investigative measures deemed appropriate to clarify the matter, and the person under investigation (accused) defends himself, being able to refuse to testify (unlike witnesses, who are obliged to testify).

This is the case with former Barca player and businessman Pique, who is being prosecuted on suspicion of having committed an offence in connection with the four-million-euro annual commission he agreed with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for this deal.

The judge has been analysing for months the alleged illegalities between the federation and the Saudi authorities to hold the tournament in the Asian country from 2019, in exchange for €40 million for the organisation that governs Spanish football and another four million a year for the company Kosmos, of which the ex-Barcelona player is the owner.

The initial contract was for six years, then extended to a total of ten, always with the same amount of €40 million for the RFEF and four for the Kosmos company, totalling €400 and €40 million respectively.

This charge against the former world champion with the Spanish national team at South Africa 2010 (102 games and 5 goals with the national team) came after an investigation into RFEF contracts since 2018, including one by the former president of the federation, Luis Rubiales, for the oil-rich Gulf state to host the Spanish Super Cup.

As a result, the court said it had formally included Pique in a group of people now under official investigation (charged) in the alleged corruption case that has rocked Spanish football.

As well as the former Spain defender, the judge also charged Pedro Rocha (then vice-president of the RFEF's economic section, now president of the RFEF) over the Super Cup bids in Saudi Arabia. 

Rocha, who is now a top leader in Spanish football, was indicted after testifying as a witness in the case against Rubiales for alleged irregularities during his tenure. Given the alleged inconsistencies and contradictions in his answers, the prosecution and the judge decided to change his status and charge him (or as it is currently called in Spain to avoid "stigmatisation", but which is synonymous).

According to the judge's investigation, the alleged crimes of economic corruption and unfair administration by Rubiales, Rocha, Piqué and other officials are being investigated, not only in relation to the Saudi petrodollar contracts, but also in relation to the construction of the La Cartuja stadium in Seville and the renovation of the federation's headquarters in the Ciudad del Futbol de Las Rozas.

As part of the criminal proceedings, Spanish police searched 11 locations last March, including the headquarters of the Royal Spanish Football Federation in Madrid and Rubiales' home in Granada, as part of an investigation into corruption and other crimes.

Prosecutors opened an investigation into the 2022 Super Cup deal after leaked audio recordings of Rubiales and Pique discussing multi-million euro commissions.

Both Rubiales and Piqué have always defended the legality of the agreement to take the Super Cup to Saudi Arabia. Indeed, Piqué himself has stated that he is proud of the deal.

The Spanish Super Cup will be held for the first time in Saudi Arabia in 2020, and the next edition, the 41st, will take place from 8-12 January 2025 in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, with key matches between Real Madrid-Mallorca and Athletic de Bilbao-Barcelona, followed by the winners playing in the grand Spanish final on the Persian Gulf.