New Barcelona stance on 2030 World Cup final after Camp Nou Champions League decision

Barcelona are already looking beyond Camp Nou's 2029 Champions League final, with the club now pushing for the stadium to host an even bigger occasion.

This follows UEFA's decision earlier this month to hand the stadium hosting rights for the 2029 Champions League final, beating Wembley in the process.

That announcement has given Barcelona and Catalan officials more confidence as they make the case for Camp Nou to go one step further and host the 2030 World Cup final.

Barcelona push their case for 2030 World Cup final

Catalan sports minister Berni Alvarez has been among the strongest supporters of Barcelona's bid to host the 2030 World Cup final, telling local programme Tot Costa that he is “not optimistic” and considers himself “realistic” about Camp Nou being the ideal venue for the final.

Alvarez also praised the close cooperation between the club, Barcelona's city council and regional authorities, while admitting that the eventual decision could come down to timing and other factors as much as the strength of the bid itself.

Club president Joan Laporta has also made his position clear, arguing publicly that the final should be played at Camp Nou rather than in Casablanca or Madrid.

Laporta pointed to the stadium's redeveloped capacity of 105,000, which he believes could influence FIFA's decision, while also noting Spain's history of hosting a World Cup final at the Bernabeu in 1982 and its status as reigning world champions.

Camp Nou faces stiff 2030 World Cup final competition

Despite the optimism in Catalonia, Camp Nou is far from the only serious contender. Morocco's Hassan II Stadium, still under construction in Casablanca and set to become the world's largest venue at 115,000 capacity once completed in late 2027, is widely tipped as the frontrunner, with Moroccan federation president Fouzi Lekjaa already suggesting the final will be held there.

Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu remains in the running too, although even the city's mayor, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, has admitted that he is not confident of success, pointing to what he described as strong political efforts from Morocco behind the scenes.

FIFA has yet to confirm a venue for the 2030 final, with Spain, Portugal and Morocco set to jointly host the tournament.

FGG says: A big ask, but not out of reach

Camp Nou's Champions League final in 2029 will already be a huge moment for the stadium, and it is easy to see why Barcelona now feel confident about aiming even higher.

Still, with Morocco building a 115,000-seat venue specifically with this final in mind, Camp Nou could face a difficult battle to land World Cup football's biggest prize.