The highly anticipated trial of Spain's disgraced former football chief Luis Rubiales over the forced kiss he gave star forward Jenni Hermoso began on Monday with the player scheduled to take the stand.

The 47-year-old provoked worldwide outrage after he cupped Hermoso's head and gave her an unsolicited kiss after Spain beat England to win the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia.

Prosecutors are seeking two and a half years in prison for Rubiales, one year for sexual assault for the forced kiss and 18 months for allegedly coercing Hermoso, 34, to downplay the incident.

Rubiales and Hermoso did not greet each other as they arrived at the National Court in San Fernando de Henares near Madrid for the trial scheduled to run until February 19.

The kiss was given "unexpectedly and without the consent or acceptance of the player", prosecutors wrote in their indictment.

"Constant and repeated pressure was exerted directly on the player Jennifer Hermoso and through her family and friends with the aim of justifying and publicly approving the kiss that Luis Rubiales gave her against her will," it added.

Rubiales is scheduled to take the stand on February 12. He has called the kiss an innocuous "peck between friends celebrating" and denied any coercion.

Among the accused alongside Rubiales are ex-women's national team coach Jorge Vilda and two former federation officials, Ruben Rivera and Albert Luque.

They also stand accused of trying to coerce Hermoso with prosecutors seeking 18 months' jail against them. (AFP)