The joint bid by Spain, Morocco, and Portugal to host the 2030 World Cup still hasn't defined which stadium will host the final. Three venues are in the running: Santiago Bernabéu, Camp Nou, and Grand Stade Hassan II in Casablanca. However, one of them has an advantage that goes beyond sports.
Capacity as a decisive factor
FIFA requires a minimum of 85,000 spectators (85.000) to host a World Cup final, according to Wikipedia. Bernabéu, after its renovation, doesn't reach 84,000 seats (84.000). It's hard to imagine Florentino Pérez at this stage resuming construction to add 2,000 seats (2.000) to the stands.
Camp Nou, currently undergoing renovation, will reach 105,000 seats (105.000) in 2027, making it the stadium with the largest capacity in Europe. Grand Stade Hassan II will have space for 115,000 spectators (115.000) in Casablanca.
FIFA seeks maximum capacity
Given the historic dimension of the centennial World Cup, FIFA is opting for stadiums that set an attendance record. That's why the two venues that far exceed 100,000 seats (100.000)—Camp Nou and Casablanca—are more attractive in its preliminary evaluation.
Although Bernabéu is among the favorites due to tradition, it could seek an urgent solution to reach the required capacity, something that's not very feasible in the short term.
Bernabéu has problems with its limited capacity | Real Madrid CF
Florentino and the limits of Bernabéu
The renovation of Bernabéu was monumental: new façade, retractable field, folding roof, and 360° scoreboard. However, those extra thousands of seats that could make the difference today were missing.
One must not forget that FIFA thinks a lot about its commitments. They are thousands more than hundreds. The larger the stadium, the more commitments it can invite to the match.
Camp Nou will have 105,000 seats and will be fully completed in 2027 | FCB
Messi, Barça and sporting tradition
Meanwhile, Barça, through its institutional vice president Elena Fort, has already shown its ambition. "We aim to host the World Cup final at Camp Nou," she recently told Cadena SER.
Camp Nou not only meets the capacity requirement. It also offers a new architectural design, estimated VIP revenue in the millions, and a top-level experience.
The ambitious Casablanca project will accommodate 115,000 people | MB
Casablanca also competes strongly
Morocco, with its new mega stadium and excellent logistical connections, has highlighted its bid beyond capacity. If FIFA prioritizes capacity and innovation, the African venue could become the favorite to host the centennial final.
