FIFA Delegation to Scrutinise Spotify Camp Nou as 2030 World Cup Venue

Barcelona, 9 March — A FIFA technical delegation will land at the Spotify Camp Nou next week to conduct a pivotal site inspection that could decide whether the Catalan giant becomes the centrepiece of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, according to a report by SPORT.

The visit, scheduled for 9 March, forms part of a sweeping tour of Spanish and Portuguese stadiums that also includes stops at the Santiago Bernabéu, Riyadh Air Metropolitano, La Romareda, Estadio de Gran Canaria, Estadio de La Cartuja, Riazor, San Mamés and Anoeta. In Barcelona, inspectors will additionally review the RCDE Stadium as a potential secondary venue.

FIFA’s focus will be on the Espai Barça rebuild, where construction crews are racing to complete Europe’s largest football arena. With the third tier of seating advancing rapidly and facade panels now visible from across the city, the club is targeting an interim capacity of 62 000 spectators once Barcelona city council grants the Phase 1C occupancy licence and reopens the Gol Nord section. The final blueprint calls for 105 000 seats beneath a yet-to-be-finished roof.

The delegation will assess infrastructure, construction progress, logistics, and legal and fiscal frameworks before compiling a shortlist for the tournament’s organising committee. Although the definitive roster of host venues will not be ratified until December 2026, the renovated Camp Nou is already viewed as a frontrunner to stage the final of the centenary World Cup, setting up a head-to-head duel with Madrid’s Bernabéu.