George Best's funeral in Stormont next Saturday is expected to attract tens of thousands of fans paying their final respects to the football legend.
East Belfast MP and DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson said the decision to hold the funeral in Stormont was recognition of the enormous outpouring of affection for the former Manchester United player since his death on Friday.
The star's family is finalising arrangements for the funeral, which will be the biggest ever seen in Northern Ireland with Castlereagh Borough Council.
Best's body will leave his father's Cregagh Road home at 10am on Saturday morning. The cortege will then travel the short distance to Stormont where the 11am service in the Grand Hall will be relayed to thousands of mourners.
The sprawling estate, which is home to the suspended Northern Ireland Assembly, was viewed as the most suitable venue as it has previously hosted major open-air concerts.
Afterwards, Best's wish to buried beside his mother Annie in the hill-top Roselawn Cemetery, overlooking east Belfast, will be granted.
Mr Robinson, DUP deputy leader, said: "I very much welcome the decision of the Best family to have the funeral at Stormont.
"It is an acknowledgement of the tens of thousands of loyal supporters who want to say their last goodbyes and pay a final tribute to someone I regard as the greatest soccer player ever.
"I hope in return that the public, and particularly the press, will direct their activities towards Stormont and give the Best family space to have some private grief themselves."
"Nobody is clear on the numbers that will attend but it is very clear from the reactions of supporters at grounds across the UK in the last 48 hours that there is going to be a massive show of sympathy to the family.
"There will be many thousands, tens of thousands - no-one is quite sure how many - who will want to personally express their tributes to George."
PA