Barcelona Delays Camp Nou Return Until Higher Capacity Approved

Club’s New Plan for Camp Nou

On Tuesday, Barcelona, the reigning champions of Spain, announced a shift in their strategy regarding their return to the renovated Camp Nou. The club now intends to wait until they receive approval for a temporary capacity of 45,000 fans before they make their return to the iconic stadium.

This decision follows a recent postponement of their anticipated return to Camp Nou, originally planned for November 2024 but subsequently rescheduled multiple times.

Previous Capacity Expectations

Initially, Barcelona aimed to reopen their venue with a capacity for 27,000 spectators, a goal they hoped to achieve last month. However, the current plan to increase capacity to 45,000 is likely to extend the timeline for reopening one of Europe’s most renowned stadiums, which has faced numerous construction delays.

Financial Implications and Next Steps

The ongoing redevelopment of the Camp Nou is projected to cost the club approximately €1.5 billion (£1.3 billion). Multiple delays have hindered the progress of this ambitious project.

The club stated: “While we expect to soon obtain the first occupancy license for phase 1A, Barcelona’s focus will be on returning to Spotify Camp Nou once the license for phase 1B is secured, which will raise the capacity to 45,000 spectators.” However, no specific timeline for this process was provided.

Current Match Arrangements

As a consequence of not securing the necessary permits for the Camp Nou, Barcelona had to play two matches at their Johan Cruyff training ground, which accommodates only 6,000 spectators, during the season’s opening weeks.

The local council indicated in September that they would not grant permission for the club to return to Camp Nou, which is set to hold 105,000 spectators upon completion, citing safety concerns.

Barcelona has confirmed that their upcoming La Liga match against Girona will take place on October 18th at the Olympic Stadium located on Montjuic hill. The team has played there for the previous two seasons due to the ongoing work at Camp Nou and will return following their short stint at the Johan Cruyff facility.

Additionally, their next Champions League fixture against Olympiakos is scheduled for October 21st at the same Olympic Stadium. Following these matches, subsequent home games are lined up against Elche on November 2nd and Athletic Bilbao on November 23rd.