Barcelona Delays Camp Nou Return, Citing Licensing Issues! New Date Is...

Last Updated:July 18, 2025, 23:36 IST

Barcelona postponed their return to Camp Nou, initially set for August, due to difficulties in obtaining a partial opening license.

Barcelona' stadium -Camp Nou (X)

Barcelona postponed their return to Camp Nou, originally scheduled for August, extending the stadium’s reopening further. The club had intended to host a friendly match on August 10 as their first game back after two years of construction, but cited difficulties in obtaining a partial opening license as the reason for the delay.

Barcelona announced that the initial match at the Spotify Camp Nou has been suspended. Due to the extensive work completed, meeting the regulations for the first occupancy license proved impossible, despite the club’s desire to open sections of the stadium.

The first match at Camp Nou is now planned for a La Liga game against Valencia on September 13 or 14, with Barcelona’s first three league matches being played away from home. However, the club did not confirm if the stadium will be ready for this fixture or possibly a home Champions League tie beforehand.

The friendly match, reported to be against Italian side Como, will now be held at the Johan Cruyff stadium next to the training ground. Barcelona have been playing at the Olympic Stadium on Montjuic hill for the past two seasons during the Camp Nou redevelopment.

Initially, Barcelona aimed to return to Camp Nou in November 2024 to celebrate the club’s 125th anniversary, but the stadium’s opening has faced repeated delays. The stadium’s capacity will be around 60,000 until the work is completed next summer, eventually expanding to 105,000 seats. The Camp Nou rebuild project is estimated to cost Barcelona 1.5 billion euros ($1.75 billion).

What Did Barcelona Say About Camp Nou?

“This decision is due to the fact that the necessary work to comply with the requirements of the Ordinance Regulating Municipal Intervention Procedures in Construction Works has made it impossible to complete the procedures required for the granting of the initial licence," Barcelona said in a statement.

“Specifically, due to the scale of the work carried out, it has not been possible to meet all the conditions laid out by the regulations governing this licence, despite the club’s intention to reopen the redeveloped stadium sector by sector.

“The club is liaising closely with Barcelona City Council and the relevant authorities to make progress on the different requirements and will inform its members and fans of any new developments regarding the return date. This delay does not affect the planned schedule for the repayment of the Espai Barca debt," the club’s statement added.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Ritayan Basu

Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha...Read More

Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha...

Read More

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