Barcelona's Spotify Camp Nou is set to compete with the Hassan II Stadium to host the final of the 2030 World Cup.
The 24th edition of the tournament will be held across Morocco, Portugal and Spain, and as reported by Madrid-Barcelona.com, competition to hold the final is down to two participants.
Santiago Bernabeu out of contention for World Cup final?
According to Madrid-Barcelona,com, Real Madrid's iconic Santiago Bernabeu home stadium is no longer in the running to host the 2030 World Cup final.
The home of Los Blancos, which was previously placed as frontrunner to hold the final of the 2030 tournament, is reportedly no longer being considered due to its capacity.
While the ground did see a major €800m revamp between 2019 and 2024, this did not focus on a notable expansion, instead primarily introducing a new redactible roof alongside improvements on the interior and exterior.
While the actual current capacity of the Santiago Bernabeu is not truly known, construction permits for the recent revamp list 80,243 seats, although the attendance record since the changes was set at 78,610 in a recent NFL fixture with Los Blancos games currently unable to top that.
Arguably the most iconic stadium in world football, Real Madrid's ground hosted the 1982 World Cup final in front of over 90,000 fans, however increased regulations have seen the capacity drop dramatically, below UEFA's reported 85,000-capacity demand for a World Cup final.
Spotify Camp Nou set to compete with Hassan II Stadium
The Santiago Bernabeu development is set to leave two stadiums in the running for the World Cup final, with the Spotify Camp Nou and Morocco's new Hassan II Stadium battling.
The renovation of the Spotify Camp Nou will reportedly complete in 2027, having reopened for some supporters in late 2025, with a proposed capacity of 105,000.
Such a growth will leave the Blaugrana's home as the largest football stadium in Europe, however 2028 is believed to mark the opening of the Hassan II Stadium in Morocco with a 115,000 capacity.
The construction project in Casablanca is hoping to be given the final on the basis of its capacity, however the Spotify Camp Nou reportedly has the edge, given its established infrastructure and with Spain hosting and organising the majority of the World Cup.
FGG says: Real Madrid paying the price for failing to expand
While any Santiago Bernabeu expansion is said to be limited by space in the centre of Spain's capital city, Real Madrid may see the consequences of being unable to grow in the way rivals Barcelona have.
With the Blaugrana being able to focus on a major growth to their capacity, and Morocco funding what is set to be the largest football stadium in the world, Los Blancos' iconic home may become totally overshadowed on the global stage.
Barcelona, meanwhile, could see their ambitious and expensive redevelopment quickly rewarded in the form of a first World Cup final.