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If you believed the Camp Nou renovation drama was behind Barcelona, you'd be mistaken.
According to SPORT, Barcelona have submitted a formal request to La Liga to host the first half of the 2027–28 season at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Montjuic, the venue where the Catalan club played their home fixtures during 2023–24 and 2024–25, along with an additional five matches in 2025–26.
The reason? Construction of the new Camp Nou roof is set to commence in June 2027, shortly after the end of the 2026–27 campaign. While the roof installation is considered one of the final major milestones in the stadium's full overhaul, the process is anticipated to take anywhere from four to five months.
Reports suggest that La Liga president Javier Tebas has yet to respond to Barça's official relocation request, though it is widely expected that the Catalans will spend the opening half of 2026–27 at Montjuic.
This development does not affect stadium arrangements for the imminent 2026–27 season. Barcelona will play all of their upcoming home games at the Camp Nou—with the third tier of seating gradually reopening—before departing their iconic home once more this time next year.
Barcelona Being Overly Cautious With Camp Nou Return
Delays have become a recurring theme throughout the Camp Nou's renovation over the past three years, which is why Barcelona appear to be taking a cautious approach and building in extra time to ensure the roof installation is fully finished before the club permanently returns to the ground.
With the roof work projected to span four to five months, the Catalans could theoretically be back at the Camp Nou by October or November 2027. However, given the track record of construction setbacks, Barcelona are opting to remain at Montjuic through early 2028.
The club's strategy is to play the entire first half of the La Liga season at Montjuic, as well as the full Champions League league phase—subject to their qualification.
UEFA regulations require clubs competing in Europe to play all league phase matches at a single home ground. Barcelona managed to work around that rule last season when they hosted two home games at Montjuic and two more at the Camp Nou. That arrangement is not expected to be repeated, with Barcelona planning to return to the Camp Nou only once the 2027–28 knockout rounds get underway.
It's a strategy that affords Barcelona some flexibility. The original renovation timeline had Barça returning to the Camp Nou in autumn 2024, a projection that ultimately fell short by a full year. The Blaugrana appear determined not to fall into the same trap of overpromising again.
The Negative Impact of Barcelona Leaving Camp Nou—Again
Vacating the Camp Nou once again represents a significant blow to Barcelona's finances, with revenue from matchday tickets, stadium tours, and VIP hospitality all set to take a hit.
Even with the third tier of seating still closed, the Camp Nou's reduced capacity of 62,000 still exceeds Montjuic's 56,000-seat limit—and attendance figures at the Camp Nou are expected to climb further once the upper deck begins reopening progressively throughout 2026–27.
The financial losses Barcelona are projected to absorb this time next year could seriously threaten the club's ability to comply with La Liga's financial fair play regulations. Consequently, the Catalans could once again find themselves severely restricted in the transfer market.
The club is well aware of this reality, which is why the current summer transfer window has been identified as a pivotal opportunity to strengthen the squad not just for 2026–27, but for the following two seasons as well.
The Catalans have been busy in the early stages of the transfer window, and the expectation is that they will continue pursuing signings and exploring further options once the World Cup wraps up.
Should Barcelona fail to land their desired reinforcements over the next month, they may be forced to hold off until the summer of 2028 before making any substantial squad upgrades.