Catalonia and Barcelona rally behind Barça's bid to host 2029 Champions League final

The Catalan government and the Barcelona city council presented on Tuesday a joint candidacy with FC Barcelona for Spotify Camp Nou to host the 2029 UEFA Champions League final.

The two administrations, together with the Catalan club, also approved an initial agreement demonstrating the authorities' commitment to hosting the event.

These are the first steps required by UEFA to move forward with the bid, which was initially announced in October and confirmed by UEFA.

The Spotify Camp Nou, expected to be fully renovated by the time of the final, will compete with Wembley Stadium to host the event.

Government Sports Minister Berni Álvarez said the event would strengthen "Barcelona and Catalonia as a reference destination for organizing worldwide sports events."

"The government aims to attract sustainable competitions with social and economic impact across the territory," he added, noting that the initiative also supports efforts to attract "quality tourism."

City council Sports Councillor David Escudé emphasized that Barcelona "will always be open to hosting major sporting events."

If selected, it would be the third UEFA Champions League final held in Barcelona in over 20 years. The first was in 1989, when AC Milan defeated Steaua Bucharest, and the most recent was in 1999, with Manchester United beating Bayern Munich 2-1.

2030 World Cup final

Mayor Jaume Collboni also proposed Spotify Camp Nou as the venue for the 2030 FIFA World Cup final, which will be organized jointly by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.

Currently the largest stadium in the three countries, the renovation of the Spotify Camp Nou will increase its capacity to 104,600 spectators.

"A few days ago, I proposed to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) that the city would be thrilled and is ready to host the 2030 World Cup final," Collboni said.

To learn more about the Spotify Camp Nou renovation, listen to this episode of our podcast Filling the Sink.