In a striking shift that could upset Real Madrid's hopes of hosting the 2030 World Cup final, Rafael Louzan, president of the Spanish Football Federation, has handed a major boost to the Spotify Camp Nou's candidacy. He publicly threw his support behind staging the final at Barcelona's home ground, opening the door to a Spanish contest in which the Catalan club's stadium had, until recently, been far from the frontrunner.
Louzan made his position clear during a celebration marking the World Cup's arrival in Barcelona on Monday. He took part in the opening of the "Kings of the World" exhibition, staged by the Spanish Federation to mark the national team's title win, alongside Barcelona president Joan Laporta, the city's mayor Jaume Collboni and a number of sporting figures.
Louzan backs Camp Nou openly for the first time
The surprise came after Collboni declared his wish for Camp Nou to host the final on 21 July 2030, demanding that the Spain captain lift the trophy in front of his own fans at the Catalan stadium.
Collboni said he had conveyed that wish to Louzan and Laporta. The city, he argued, offers the best bid to host the match, especially once work on the stadium is complete, a venue he reckons will become the finest in Europe.
What caught the eye, though, was the federation president's reply. "The mayor has already announced his wish for this trophy to be here in 2030," Louzan said. "I hope that comes true, as there is a possibility of achieving it."
With that, Louzan backed Camp Nou publicly for the first time to host the decisive match.
What about Real Madrid's chances?
That stance carries real weight for Real Madrid. The Santiago Bernabeu had, over recent months, been tied to Spain's bid to host the final and touted as the country's strongest option against the Moroccan challenge.
Louzan had earlier spoken of choosing one of Spain's two giant stadiums, a nod to the Bernabeu and Camp Nou, before handing the Catalan ground clear public backing in his latest remarks.
His position does not amount to pulling the candidacy from Real Madrid's stadium or settling the matter in Barcelona's favour. It does, however, put Camp Nou firmly in the federation's thinking, and gives Laporta valuable support in his push to host the tournament's biggest match.
Morocco present in the final race
The battle is not confined to Barcelona and Real Madrid. Morocco are pressing hard to host the final through the new Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca, which is targeting a capacity of 115,000 spectators.
FIFA have yet to settle on the venue from Camp Nou, the Bernabeu and the Hassan II Stadium. Louzan's words mark an important development in the hosting race, even if they are no final word on where the match will be played.