Barcelona has officially entered the race to host the Champions League final. The bid for Spotify Camp Nou is now on UEFA’s table, with the city and the club hoping that a combination of prestige, infrastructure and stadium redevelopment will convince decision-makers.

Spotify Camp Nou and the City of Barcelona enter the UEFA evaluation process

Barcelona’s bid is currently undergoing preliminary assessment by UEFA. FC Barcelona, the Barcelona City Council and the Government of Catalonia have submitted a full set of initial documents, enabling UEFA to evaluate the organisational and infrastructural capacity of both the city and the stadium.

The procedure follows UEFA’s official protocols for hosting finals of its premier club competitions. At this stage, the submission does not represent a formal allocation of the event but rather a comparative evaluation process. UEFA is analysing key factors such as sports infrastructure, transport connectivity, hotel capacity and the city’s ability to deliver an event of global scale. A critical condition for the success of Barcelona’s bid is the completion of the Spotify Camp Nou redevelopment and the stadium’s full UEFA certification.

Camp Nou is aiming for the Champions League final in 2029 and the World Cup a year later.

Institutional backing from the City of Barcelona and the Government of Catalonia

FC Barcelona’s candidacy has already received approval from the city’s governing commission, which authorised the signing of the Host City Agreement, formally declaring Barcelona’s readiness to host the most prestigious club match in European football.

The Government of Catalonia has also officially endorsed the project, stating that Barcelona and FC Barcelona represent one of the strongest bids in the entire selection process. Regional authorities highlight the city’s extensive experience in staging major international events, including the Olympic Games, European cup finals and international fixtures—an argument that may weigh heavily in UEFA’s final assessment.

Wembley Stadium emerges as Camp Nou’s main rival

UEFA has confirmed that 15 expressions of interest have been submitted by national associations for hosting club competition finals between 2028 and 2029. For the 2029 UEFA Champions League final, Spotify Camp Nou is expected to face direct competition from Wembley Stadium in London, widely regarded as one of the world’s most iconic football venues.

The final selection of host federations for all eight UEFA club competition finals will be made by the UEFA Executive Committee in September 2026. By that time, all candidates must submit full technical and organisational documentation. According to the current timeline, FC Barcelona and public authorities are scheduled to deliver the complete bidding dossier in early June 2026. This document will include all operational, technical and commercial details required for the official awarding of the final.

© Justin Geyser | Wembley has hosted the Champions League final several times.