FIFA inspects Barcelona’s Camp Nou as Morocco and Spain battle to host 2030 World Cup final

FIFA representatives are set to inspect Barcelona’s Spotify Camp Nou on Monday as Morocco and Spain continue their competition to host the final of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

The inspection forms part of FIFA’s ongoing assessment of proposed tournament venues across Morocco, Spain and Portugal, with visits scheduled throughout November and December.

According to Spanish newspaper SPORT, the delegation will evaluate Camp Nou’s facilities as Barcelona seeks to strengthen its position in the race to stage the tournament’s showpiece match.

The FIFA representatives are also expected to visit Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium on Tuesday to assess another proposed World Cup venue in the Catalan city.

The inspections come as Morocco and Spain continue to push their respective bids to host the final, with neither country having received confirmation from the world football governing body.

Barcelona intensify push to host World Cup final

Barcelona’s ambition to stage the 2030 World Cup final received renewed support last week when city mayor Jaume Collboni publicly backed the Catalan city’s candidacy.

Speaking at an event on November 2, Collboni argued that the renovated Camp Nou would provide one of Europe’s finest football venues and deserved consideration for the tournament’s biggest match.

His position has received support from Barcelona president Joan Laporta and other Catalan sporting officials.

Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Louzan has also reiterated his preference for Spain to host the final, with both Camp Nou and Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu being considered as potential venues.

Morocco present Grand Stade Hassan II as alternative

Morocco remain firmly in contention, with the country preparing the Grand Stade Hassan II in Benslimane, near Casablanca, as its leading candidate for the final.

The stadium, which is currently under construction, is designed to accommodate approximately 115,000 spectators and represents a major part of Morocco’s ambitions for the 2030 tournament.

The proposed venue would give the North African country a strong contender in the race against Spain, as both nations seek to host the biggest match of the expanded tournament.

FIFA’s inspection programme in Morocco also covers six cities: Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Marrakech, Agadir and Fez.

FIFA assess preparations across three host countries

The inspections are designed to evaluate the readiness of proposed venues and the wider infrastructure required to stage the competition.

FIFA representatives are assessing stadium facilities, transport networks, accommodation and operational preparations before determining which venues satisfy the organisation’s hosting requirements.

Portugal has already completed its inspection programme, with FIFA representatives visiting stadiums in Lisbon and Porto before concluding their tour on November 6.

The ongoing visits across Morocco and Spain form part of the wider assessment process ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the three countries.

Despite the growing competition between Morocco and Spain, FIFA has yet to announce which stadium will host the final.

The governing body has maintained that decisions on host cities and match allocations will be made as the venue selection process progresses.

Monday’s inspection of Camp Nou therefore represents another stage in the preparations, rather than a final decision on the destination of the 2030 World Cup final.