Where will the 2030 World Cup final be played? The question is still open between Spain and Morocco. Most had assumed the showpiece would go to the Santiago Bernabeu, with the Spotify Camp Nou also thrown into the mix.
The latest word tells a different story. The odds are shifting towards the Grand Stade Hassan II, under construction in the Moroccan city of Benslimane, largely because of the sheer size of the crowd it will hold once finished.
Spanish newspaper "Sport" reports that Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, is pushing hard to strengthen his country's bid, leaning on the vast facilities the new ground promises to deliver.
The Grand Stade Hassan II will hold around 115,000 spectators. That tops the Spotify Camp Nou's projected capacity of close to 105,000 and dwarfs the Santiago Bernabeu, which holds around 78,000.
Benslimane will have the honour of hosting the final
Speaking at an election event for the Authenticity and Modernity Party, days before Morocco's legislative elections, Lekjaa made his country's ambition crystal clear.
"We will work with all institutions and all Moroccans in order for Morocco to host the 2030 World Cup final, whatever the name of the team that will play the match," the federation president said. "Like it or not."
Those remarks build on comments Lekjaa made around 10 days earlier, when he confirmed the Benslimane region "will have the honour of organising the 2030 World Cup final", stressing the need to develop the area and prepare for the event.
He went further in those earlier words, telling officials hoping to join the next government that they must work on developing the Benslimane region, given its link to the new stadium project, tipped to become one of the largest grounds in the world.
The stadium's readiness may boost Morocco's chances
Capacity isn't the only card Morocco hold. The completion date could hand the bid another edge in the race to stage the final.
Estimates put the Grand Stade Hassan II fully ready by 2027, at a cost topping 450 million euros. That would leave time to test the ground and host major sporting events before the 2030 World Cup kicks off.
Readiness could prove a decisive point in the contest, especially with redevelopment work on the Spotify Camp Nou still ongoing. Barcelona president Joan Laporta wants that ground to stage the World Cup's decisive match.
The final decision lies with FIFA
For all the confident Moroccan talk, nobody has settled which stadium hosts the 2030 World Cup final. FIFA are expected to wait until next year, or even 2028, before naming their choice.