Camp Nou enters the race: Morocco competes with Real Madrid and Barcelona to host the 2030 World Cup final

Who will settle the battle?

The race to host the 2030 World Cup final has become a three-way contest between Madrid, Barcelona and Casablanca. The Spotify Camp Nou has muscled its way into the reckoning alongside the Santiago Bernabéu and Morocco's Grand Stade Hassan II.

Madrid led the Spanish options at first. But Morocco have ramped up their push for Casablanca in recent months, while Barcelona have thrown their weight behind their rebuilt stadium, set to hold around 104,000 spectators by 2030.

Several factors strengthen the Camp Nou's candidacy, chief among them its sheer size and its complete overhaul, not to mention the fact it will stage the 2029 UEFA Champions League final. Barcelona president Joan Laporta has publicly backed the idea of hosting the World Cup final, insisting the city can deliver.

Madrid's bid leans on history and the cutting-edge infrastructure of the Santiago Bernabéu. The stadium has undergone a vast renovation, with cumulative investment of around 1.4 billion euros up to June 2026, plus the redevelopment of the surrounding area and the transport links serving it.

Casablanca brings something grander still: the Grand Stade Hassan II in Benslimane. Planned for 115,000 spectators, it would be the biggest of the three, backed by parallel investment in the transport network, the airport and Moroccan railways.

Barcelona arm themselves with capacity and renovation. Madrid offer the pedigree of their stadium and existing infrastructure. Casablanca are betting on an enormous new build and an extensive institutional drive.

FIFA will have the final say, with the hosting scenario expected to be settled during 2028.

It all plays out against the backdrop of the FIFA Congress in Rabat on 18 March 2027, which will stage the federation's presidential elections. Gianni Infantino is chasing a new term, while the three candidates wait on the resolution of the 2030 World Cup final file.