Barcelona President Announces When Camp Nou Will Welcome Fans Back Home
The much-anticipated homecoming of Barcelona to the Spotify Camp Nou appears to be approaching, as confirmed by club president Joan Laporta.
During a Wednesday gathering with the club senate, Laporta spoke before 1,000 Barcelona stakeholders at their regular season-ending assembly. The president covered various topics, including the club's upcoming return to their iconic Camp Nou stadium, which has been undergoing extensive reconstruction work since the conclusion of the 2022–23 campaign.
"Our return is scheduled for September," declared Barcelona's president. "We have already coordinated with La Liga to ensure our initial home fixtures of the season take place in September. Our goal is to return at the earliest opportunity, and this decision is crucial to maintaining our financial strength and generating additional revenue."
Club executives are confident that moving back to the Camp Nou, despite operating with restricted seating, will result in substantial financial gains. Initially, Barcelona planned to return to their historic venue in the latter part of 2024, but construction setbacks meant the team had to complete the entire 2024–25 campaign at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
The current strategy involves playing their opening three domestic league matches away from home as they defend their La Liga championship, before officially reopening the Camp Nou in early September. This timeline provides just over two months to guarantee the venue meets all requirements for competitive fixtures.
Prior to the official reopening, the club intends to organize a trial match at their refurbished stadium. Unless there are unexpected modifications, Barcelona will welcome Serie A side Como 1907 for their concluding preseason encounter at the Camp Nou.
"The trial run is set for Aug. 10 during the Trophy Joan Gamper [Barcelona's customary final preseason fixture]," Laporta announced. "The exact stadium capacity remains undetermined as we continue consultations with technical experts."
Barcelona anticipates utilizing the Camp Nou throughout the complete 2025–26 season with limited seating availability. The objective is to complete all renovation work by the following summer. Upon full completion, the modernized Camp Nou will accommodate more than 105,000 spectators, establishing it as Europe's largest stadium.