The decision has been made. FC Barcelona will finish the season at the Montjuic alternative stadium. Actually, the return to the Camp Nou should have been completed long ago.
Barcelona has informed all of its members and season ticket holders that the club will finish the season at the Olympic Stadium. Until now, there had been hope that at least one league game could be played in the newly renovated Camp Nou. However, the Catalans have now announced that season tickets for the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys can be extended until the end of the 2024/25 season.
The return to the Camp Nou had been postponed several times. Originally, the move had even been planned for November 2024, for the club’s 125th anniversary, albeit initially only at 60 percent capacity. Subsequently, the date was pushed back to the end of January, when the group stage of the Champions League was coming to a close. Then April and May were envisaged, but that is no longer realistic either.
The Catalans have given a variety of reasons for the postponement. These include a shortage of materials for important work and a lack of skilled workers. A number of permits also failed to arrive on time. In addition, there were weather-related delays.
Laporta’s
The delay is also a setback for President Joan Laporta, who repeatedly announced an early departure from the Olympic Stadium. “Everything points to us being able to play at the Camp Nou again at the end of the year,” was the message in September 2024, for example. The reduced spectator numbers – the Olympic Stadium only seats 54,367 spectators and is usually not sold out – will also have a financial impact on the club, which is already strapped for cash.
The Camp Nou was opened in 1957 and last renovated in 1989. After the current renovation and partial reconstruction, the capacity will ultimately increase to 105,000 spectators. The new Camp Nou is scheduled to be finally completed in the summer of 2026, including a retractable roof for all stands.
