The Barcelona stadium renovation has taken longer than it was initially planned. Since playing their last match at Camp Nou in March 2023, the Catalan giants have yet to play a game at the iconic stadium. It begs the question: When will Barcelona return to their home stadium?
Once completed, Camp Nou will be the largest stadium in Europe with a capacity of 105,000. However, a full capacity occupation of the venue will be gradual as the club races to boost revenue amidst recent financial struggles.
In this post, we will be providing you with Camp Nou renovation updates, including the latest news on the confirmed return date.
Camp Nou renovation – latest updates
November 2025: Barcelona cleared for competitive return to Camp Nou
Barcelona will officially return to Camp Nou on Saturday, 22 November after the city council granted the club its latest occupancy licence.
The approval allows 45,401 supporters to attend the La Liga clash with Athletic Club, marking the first competitive match at the iconic stadium since renovation work forced a two-season relocation.
Barcelona could have returned in October, but the Phase 1A licence limited capacity to 25,991, which the club considered financially unviable. While the new Phase 1B approval increases that figure to 45,401, allowing a partial reopening as redevelopment continues to expand and modernise Camp Nou into a 105,000-seat stadium.
Barca last played an official game at Camp Nou on 28 May 2023, a league fixture against Real Mallorca, before the venue was shut down for major redevelopment.
During the renovation, the club spent two seasons at the 55,926-capacity Olympic Stadium on Montjuïc, which offered roughly 40,000 fewer seats than Camp Nou. They also played two games this season at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium, home to the women's team, after initially failing to secure the required safety permits for Camp Nou.
There was more good news for the club, as UEFA has officially approved Barcelona’s request to host their upcoming Champions League meeting with Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday, December 9, at Camp Nou instead of the Estadi Olímpic.
November 2025: Barcelona to hold open training session at Camp Nou
Barcelona have announced that their men's team will hold an open training session at the Camp Nou on 7 November, marking the club's official return to the stadium. The sessions will be used to get the players used to the surroundings of the Camp Nou once again ahead of their full-time return, and also to give supporters a chance to return to their spiritual home.
Additionally, the club are using the session as a ‘test' for technical and operational reasons to ensure that new systems and access points are functioning properly.
In total, 23,000 fans will be able to attend the open training sessions, which will begin at 11:00 CET on Friday, 7 November.
October 2025: Barcelona holding out for Phase 1B license
Despite seemingly being a rush to return to the Camp Nou just a few weeks ago, Barcelona are now reportedly prepared to wait a little longer if it means they can bring in around 50% of the overall capacity for their first game back.
In the middle of October, the club received a Phase 1A certificate from the city council, which means they are now allowed to welcome 27,000 fans back to the Camp Nou. However, according to a report in Marca, the club are now planning on waiting until they've received a 1B certificate, as this would allow them to get 45,000 fans back into the ground.
Therefore, Barcelona are now reportedly eying up the match against Athletic Club on the weekend of 22 November as their homecoming match.
October 2025: Catalan giants weighing up new return date
As per the previous update, Barcelona have been working towards the goal of returning to Camp Nou for the meeting with Catalan rivals Girona on October 18. However, they will only be allowed to have 27,000 spectators if they move back to their refurbished home later this month.
Instead, AS are reporting that Barcelona are considering the possibility of playing at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, where they can house over 50,000 spectators, until the Camp Nou is ready to open to at least 45,000 supporters.
In terms of official announcements, the club have confirmed that their next home Champions League match will be played at the Olympic Stadium. The statement read:
“FC Barcelona announces that the third match corresponding to the Champions League group stage, on Tuesday, October 21, at 6:45 p.m., against Olympiacos, will be played at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium. Barca have also played their while they wait for their home to be ready for their return.”
“The Club continues to work to obtain the necessary administrative permits for the opening of the Spotify Camp Nou in the coming dates. Within this framework, FC Barcelona is working on the new amendments that the Barcelona City Council shared with the Club last week.”
September 2025: Barcelona target Girona game for Camp Nou return
In addition to their Champions League meeting with PSG being moved, Barcelona have also been forced to switch their home La Liga clash against Real Sociedad on September 28 to the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
Barcelona are still waiting to receive the go-ahead from the city council to partially open the Camp Nou, although the city's mayor recently admitted that there will be “good news soon”.
As per SPORT, Barcelona are hoping to return to their redeveloped home for their La Liga match against Catalan rivals Girona on October 18. That fixture represents the first game back after the October international break.
September 2025: Barcelona to play CL home games at the Olympic Stadium
UEFA have confirmed that Barcelona will play their first home Champions League match of the season at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. The club's opening game in the competition is scheduled for Wednesday, 1 October against PSG, but any hopes of the Nou Camp return being for this game are now dead.
Based on UEFA's own rules, which stipulate that a club's home matches should (in principle) all be played at the same venue from the beginning of the tournament until the end, Barcelona may have to accept that they are at the Olympic Stadium now until at least the end of the league phase, when there could be more wiggle room with UEFA.
September 2025: Valencia fixture played away from Camp Nou
Barcelona's first home match of the season has been played away from the Camp Nou, despite the club's hopes for it to mark the return of the Camp Nou, albeit with a reduced capacity. Instead, the match was played at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium, Barcelona's reserve stadium.
The reason for the late shift is that Barcelona still haven't received the Final Construction Certificate from the city council. They have stated that they should receive this in the coming weeks, which should allow the club to play matches at the Camp Nou by the beginning of October.
For the time being, the club will return to the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. They were unable to use this stadium for the match against Valencia due to a Post Malone concert.
August 2025: Barcelona granted away CL opener
Barcelona have been successful in their request to UEFA to have their first Champions League game played away from home. The Catalans will travel to St James' Park to kick-off their European campaign this season, with the club hopeful that the Camp Nou will be ready by gameweek two in the beginning of October.
UEFA rules state that each team must play their home matches at the same stadium for the entirety of the league phase, so if Barcelona do have to play their first home match of the competition elsewhere, then they will be forced to play all four of their league phase matches there.
This would mean no Champions League football at the Camp Nou until February, provided Barcelona qualify from the league phase.
August 2025: Barcelona push back Camp Nou return date
Barcelona have announced that they will not return to Camp Nou on August 10, 2025, as previously stated. This decision comes due to the club's slow compliance with the Ordinance Regulating Municipal Intervention Procedures in Construction Works, which is necessary to obtain an initial license for returning to Camp Nou.
In the announcement, the club explained that the extensive nature of the work has made it impossible to fulfil all the required conditions.
Meanwhile, Barcelona are reportedly working closely with the city council and relevant authorities to address the various requirements needed for their return to Camp Nou.
They have clarified that the delay will not impact the scheduled repayment of Barca's debt. Additionally, multiple news sources, including Barca Universal, report that the team is likely to return to Camp Nou in mid-September. The Joan Gamper Trophy match, originally set to take place at Camp Nou on 10 August, will now be held at Johan Cruyff Stadium.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta provided an update recently, revealing that the club is ‘doing everything possible' to ensure the construction is done on time for the proposed September return. He also noted that the club are ‘working hand in hand with the City Council'.
However, reports from several media outlets indicate that the recent inspection revealed more than 200 safety issues. Consequently, the previously scheduled September resumption date for the match against Valencia may no longer be viable.
For a first match to be played, Barça must submit a Certificate of Completion of Works to the Barcelona City Council, LaLiga, and UEFA.
This certificate confirms that the stadium's construction is finished and complies with all regulations and approved plans. It is an essential document for receiving the necessary licenses to host competitive matches.
❗️Barcelona are working tirelessly to return to the Spotify Camp Nou in time for the weekend of September 13–14, when they host Valencia — their first home game of the La Liga season.
The club has avoided giving a fixed date, but progress has accelerated in recent weeks. The… pic.twitter.com/tViUjgyeFE
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) August 2, 2025
July update: Barcelona confirm Camp Nou return date
Barcelona will return to Camp Nou on 10 August 2025, just in time for the 2025/26 La Liga season. According to a club statement posted on the official Barcelona website, the return will coincide with the Joan Gamper Trophy.
The Joan Gamper Trophy is regarded as a very special event for the Catalans. It is an annual football exhibition that the club holds before the start of a new season.
However, with renovation work still ongoing, Camp Nou will only operate at nearly half its capacity. Remaining works at the stadium include completion of the dual VIP ring, urban redevelopment of the surrounding area, roof installation and a new third tier.
The club has also announced plans for a tribute match in honour of club legend Lionel Messi at the renovated Camp Nou.
🏟️ Barcelona have officially confirmed their return to the Camp Nou — set for 10th August. 💙❤️
After months away during renovations, the iconic stadium reopens its doors.
A historic comeback to their true home is just around the corner. 📅🔙 pic.twitter.com/avtpZJgpve— Softfootball (@thesoftfootball) June 25, 2025
June 2025 update: Camp Nou return delayed again
A return to Camp Nou in time for the 2025/26 La Liga season has been delayed again. Radio Catalunya reports that Barcelona have reached an agreement with La Liga to play their first four games in the upcoming season away from home. This, the club say, is to allow them to complete the stadium redevelopment.
With the 2025/26 season set to kick off mid-August and an international break for World Cup qualifiers scheduled shortly after, even a return in early September, as reported in May, looks unlikely. The first goalpost has now been installed at the stadium, marking another milestone achieved so far.
A full reconstruction of Camp Nou is expected by the end of the 2025/26 season, but even then, the venue will still host matches with a reduced capacity.
🚨 JUST IN: Barça have reached an agreement with La Liga to play the first 4 La Liga games of next season away. This will make room for the completion of the works at the Spotify Camp Nou.
— @CatalunyaRadio pic.twitter.com/gAeLOXLOeC
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) June 5, 2025
May 2025 update: Camp Nou El Clasico return date missed as debts bite
Barcelona's return to Camp Nou, just in time for the El Clasico on 11 May 2025, as previously reported, will not happen. Apart from the recently reported lack of construction materials due to shipping delays and inadequate labour to help speed up Camp Nou renovation, Barca's financial struggles have played a part.
With that, the earliest possible return date, as previously reported by Mundo Deportivo, is September 2025.
Since selling Neymar and embarking on a spending spree the summer after, Barcelona's financial decline has left them on the edge. A report by the Football Benchmark via Financial Times indicates that Barcelona have the most debt of all the European football clubs.
As of June 2024, the club had an estimated €1.3 billion in debt, with at least €585 million of that maturing in 2028.
A renovated Camp Nou will become Europe's biggest stadium and also improve the club's financial situation. However, the 2025 summer transfer restrictions due to financial fair play regulations are another headache to deal with. Only a €15 million boost is reportedly available for bringing players to Camp Nou.
April 2025 update: September set as new Camp Nou return date
As the 2024/25 season comes to a close in a few weeks, Barcelona has announced a new date for their return to Camp Nou. According to a report by Mundo Deportivo, the club intends to resume playing at their iconic stadium in early September during the 2025/26 season.
In recent months, the club has encountered challenges with meeting the Camp Nou renovation schedules due to various factors. The availability of materials and a shortage of qualified labour in certain areas of the project have been cited as reasons behind the delays.
With the new pitch fully installed and the lines marked, the playing field is anticipated to adapt and reach optimal conditions by September 2025. This means that the first few matches of the 2025/26 season may not be held at the venue. The turf, having been installed early enough, should allow it to take root and adjust to the support systems. The club began laying the turf in April of this year.
In the meantime, as the club prepares for September celebrations at the newly renovated stadium, final touches on its structure are ongoing. The drainage systems, heating systems, and air conditioning units have all been installed, marking a significant milestone in the redevelopment of Europe’s largest stadium.
March 2025 update
Barcelona have informed their supporters that a return to Camp Nou is unlikely during the 2024/25 season. This follows renovation works at the stadium that have fallen behind schedule.
The latest development negates an earlier communication in October 2024 in which the club said they would play the second half of the 2024/25 La Liga season at Camp Nou.
Noting that a leasing agreement for Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys only covered half of the season, Barcelona were forced to sign a new agreement that would see them stay at the temporary ground until the end of the season.
Camp Nou renovation is expected to be completed by June 2006, so while Barcelona will return to the stadium at the start of the 2025/26 season, the La Liga giants will be forced to play with a reduced stadium capacity.
Upon completion for €900 million, a fully renovated Camp Nou will have a capacity of 105,000, a feat that will improve the stadium's place among the biggest pitches in the world.
Meanwhile, Catalan News reported that the city council will grant Barcelona a 15-day uninterrupted work period at the site. The permit, which is set to be valid from 24 March to 7 April, will see Camp Nou renovation works start at 8.00 am and end at midnight between Monday and Friday. During this period, the council will closely monitor the operations to ensure noise from the stadium is within allowed limits.
Should Barcelona adhere to the set guidelines, the council will likely grant the club longer working hours.
February 2025 update
It is a new year, and Barcelona fans are undoubtedly anxious about a return to Camp Nou. In January 2025, news that the club requested an extended stay at the Olympic Stadium angered fans, especially the club's supporter groups, which had been fined for security-related incidents at the current venue.
Barcelona had planned to reinstate the groups' stands at Camp Nou, but it now appears that even an early return in March 2025 will not happen.
Notably, the planned El Clasico clash at Wembley has now been cancelled. While England fans who had anticipated the football spectacle are disappointed, Barca and Real Madrid fans have a reason to be happy as the match will now take place in Spain.
Unfortunately for Barcelona fans, El Clasico scheduled for May 2025 will not happen at Camp Nou, but rather at the Olympic Stadium. The Rolling Stones were to perform at the current Barca homeground, but with the group's European tour cancelled, the Blaugrana will now use the venue to host Real Madrid in May.
Therefore, Barcelona's request to remain at the Olympic Stadium until the end of the 2024/25 season means no La Liga match will be played at Camp Nou, perhaps until the onset of the next season in September 2025. The club remains committed to ensuring Camp Nou renovation is completed in May, as earlier communicated, noting that construction work is taking place 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
December 2024: Camp Nou delayed and fan backlash
Barcelona's Camp Nou expansion is experiencing significant delays. The reopening is now likely to be pushed to September 2025 rather than the previously targeted March 2025. Originally expected to reopen in November 2024, the project has faced challenges, including issues with the pitch installation, which will require three months for growth. The club must decide on its location for UEFA fixtures, and Champions League matches are scheduled for early March 2025, complicating plans further.
When Camp Nou reopens, it will initially accommodate 60,000 fans while construction continues. It will ultimately expand to a capacity of 105,000, making it the largest stadium in Europe. Barcelona has been playing at the Olympic Stadium since leaving Camp Nou in 2023. Their lease runs until March, although an extension is likely not problematic. Despite the setbacks, the club hopes that returning to Camp Nou will enhance team morale and finances.
Barcelona fans are in conflict with the club's management over a €21,000 fine for offensive chanting that the club incurred due to 14 incidents at Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium. Instead of covering the fine, the club has insisted that the singing section, where the incidents occurred, should be responsible for payment. Four supporter groups—Almogavers, Front 532, Nostra Ensenya, and Supporters Barca—are united in their refusal to pay, leading the club to shut down the singing section indefinitely.
Discussions about the future of the singing section are ongoing, especially with the club's return to Camp Nou. Supporters argue that only those responsible for the offences should be punished, rather than the entire group.
November 2024: 800 seats installed daily ahead of potential February 2025 reopening
According to Spanish news sources, approximately 800 seats are being installed each day at the renovated Camp Nou. Notably, the club reportedly spends at least €1 million daily on the ongoing construction, with around 1,800 workers employed on the project.
As one of the best and largest football stadiums in the world, Camp Nou is set to enhance its facilities further. So far, crimson and blue seats have been installed in the first and second tiers of the stadium. The third tier is still under construction and is expected to be completed by mid-next year, which will also include the installation of a 50,000-square-meter roof and other facilities.
Barcelona are making significant efforts to play their first game at the remodelled stadium against Deportivo Alaves in February next year, despite potential delays in the reopening.
October 2024: A potential setback for the Camp Nou opening date
With the partial opening date of the Camp Nou in its new form having already been pushed back once, from 29 November to 15 December, recent comments from the Barcelona vice-president, Elena Fort, have suggested that another delay may occur.
Speaking on Monday, 7 October, about the situation, Fort said: “There are no exact dates to return to the stadium. We can’t say right now, but we are on the correct path. The city council knows our full plan. We are following all the safety protocols, and we’ve received the green light from several institutions.
“Now we’ll need to make rapid work to get the license back to reopening the stadium and execute everything.”
It has been reported that January 2025 appears to be the more likely date for the club's return to Camp Nou, but it may be even later in the year than that.
Fort explained that UEFA encourages every team to host all of their Champions League phase matches at one venue. If Barcelona were to adhere to those guidelines, then that would see the side's return to their home pushed back until February.
July 2024: Latest update from Camp Nou
As of May 2024, construction works were ongoing at Camp Nou. Light beams are already installed at the iconic stadium, and the mosaic formation that comprises FC Barcelona colours is visible from nearby flats. This aims to bring the venue to life once FC Barcelona return home to the more than 100,000-capacity venue.
Moreover, hospitality packages for the new-look Camp Nou have been announced and have been well-received by the public. There are 90 lodges and 20 VIP suites at the new Camp Nou, most already booked. Per-person pricing for the hospitality packages ranges from $49,000 to $94,000.
These packages could run up to 10 years, and this is expected to generate up to $130 million in yearly revenues for FC Barcelona.
Camp Nou renovation – July 2023
In a video captured by Mundo Deportivo, a large majority of the seats appear to have already been moved, and the process of demolishing the concrete beams has begun.
The renovation work at Camp Nou is progressing steadily, with Barcelona eyeing a comeback to their beloved stadium. President Laporta has been vocal about the club's intention to welcome fans back home by the end of the year, barring any unforeseen circumstances. ? pic.twitter.com/bjcmuZj88F
— Capology (@CapologyDB) April 19, 2024
Camp Nou history
Camp Nou opened in 1957 to replace the former stadium of FC Barcelona, Les Corts. The official capacity when first built was 93,053, but that was increased to 120,000 for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. However, due to new regulations outlawing standing areas, the capacity was reduced to just under 99,000.
Camp Nou hosted the first European Cup Winners' final in 1972. Over the years, Camp Nou has become one of the most feared football stadiums by visiting opponents.
A trip to Camp Nou is always likely to end in defeat for opponents. Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu has become the only venue that closely rivals Camp Nou, but the latter's current capacity of 105,000 is one of the biggest in Europe.
The ongoing renovation works at Camp Nou were planned in 2014 and were set to start in 2017.
The club intends to increase capacity by redeveloping areas, such as completely rebuilding the first tier, adding a roof to all seats, and extending the top tier.
Why is the Barcelona stadium renovation taking place?
The initial intention for the current renovation was to make Camp Nou the third-largest stadium in the world behind the Narendra Modi Stadium in India, which has a capacity of 132,000, and the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in North Korea, which can seat 114,000 spectators.
Due to the dire financial situation at the club, some of the plans for the renovation were scrapped to keep to a budget of $900m.
A new look at FC Barcelona’s $1.6 billion renovations to Spotify Camp Nou, scheduled to be complete by the end of 2024: pic.twitter.com/0YoShflSX6
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) March 20, 2024
What will the stadium look like once the Camp Nou renovation is completed?
The renovated Camp Nou will have a retractable roof with solar panels that will “be used to power the new 360-degree screen that will run around the entire interior of the stadium.”
The stadium's exterior will also have a new look, and office complexes and various entertainment spaces are being built nearby.
The work officially began in early July 2022, but the stand's demolition behind the south gate did not start until 1 September 2022. The early work included removing elements from the rear of the stand and dismantling the central section of the top floor of the auditorium.
Those works were to be followed by the construction of new stairs and escape routes to restore the use of the seats not included in the remodelling on the first and second floors.
Work began with the removal of the scoreboard and just under 4,000 seats, most of which were occupied by season pass holders who were offered a move to a similar area elsewhere in the stadium or a temporary deferral of payment.
The 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup gave the renovation a boost due to there being no games played at Camp Nou.
This allowed for the dismantling of the stand's reinforced concrete elements, which cost $4.6 million and were completed by the end of 2022. Erri Berri was the company contracted for this part of the renovation.
However, the work on the south stand was only a prelude to the start of the stadium renovation. The work started in full after the conclusion of Barcelona’s title-winning La Liga season in 2023.
Where is Barcelona playing while the Camp Nou undergoes renovation?
In early 2023, it was announced that the Turkish construction company Limak had won the contract to become the main contractor.
Due to the renovation, Barcelona temporarily moved to the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, located about four kilometres southeast of Camp Nou, for the 2023/24 season.
Due to the capacity of the Olympic Stadium being just 56,000, a significant number of Barcelona fans will have to cancel their season tickets.
FC Barcelona returned home in the 2024/25 season, but the capacity had to be halved. The full renovation is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
Will Camp Nou be ready to host 2025/26 La Liga matches?
As of July 2025, the plan is for Barcelona to return to the Camp Nou for the 2025/26 season.
According to Spanish publication Cadena Ser, Barcelona have submitted a formal request to La Liga officials to schedule three consecutive away matches for the club at the beginning of the season. This is because they are planning on moving back to their spiritual home after the September international break.
FAQs about Camp Nou renovation
When will the Camp Nou renovation end?
When the project first started, the aim was for the Camp Nou to be completed by the end of 2025. However, things haven't gone exactly to plan, and the completion date is now set for the summer of 2026. At present, there are doubts around whether this will be met.
Where will Barcelona be playing their matches before going back to Camp Nou?
Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys is the current Barcelona stadium. The club were meant to return to a half-finished Camp Nou midway through the 2024/25 season, but delays to the project mean the club will stay at the Olympic Stadium until the end of the campaign.
Who are the leading architects in the renovation work at Camp Nou?
Barcelona Studio, Joan Pascual-Ramon Ausio Arquitectes, and Nikken Sekkei are the main architecture firms in the Camp Nou renovation process.
What will the capacity be when the work is finished?
Once the redevelopment is completed and approved, the Nou Camp will have 105,000 seats, reaffirming its status as the largest stadium in Europe.
How much has the Camp Nou renovation cost?
The total cost of the Camp Nou renovation is an eye-watering £1.5bn. Given the club's financial state, they relied on financing from 20 investors to pay for the project.