Barcelona has officially announced the date for its team’s return to the historic Spotify Camp Nou stadium, after a two-year absence during which the Catalan club played its matches at the Estadio Olímpico Lluís Companys.
Camp Nou has been undergoing renovation and development for two years, a large portion of which was supposed to be completed last March, with Barcelona returning to play there. However, progress did not go according to schedule, and the return was postponed until next season.
It’s true that Barcelona achieved historic revenues from attendance at the Estadio Olímpico Lluís Companys last season, reaching more than €40 million, but all fans, and even the management, were hoping to return to Camp Nou soon.
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Barcelona’s Return to Camp Nou
According to the official statement, Barcelona’s return to Camp Nou will be on August 10th, for the Joan Gamper Trophy friendly, which opens the season. The opponent for the match has not yet been announced, although Como, Italy, is the most likely.
Camp Nou will not open at full capacity due to ongoing renovation work. According to Mundo Deportivo, the stadium will only have a capacity of 25,000 spectators.
Work is still underway on the construction of a new third tier, a double VIP box, the installation of a roof (starting in summer 2026), the final renovation of some of the interior spaces, and the external development of the stadium’s surroundings.
10.08.2025, see you at home! pic.twitter.com/OoE9rh0n6D
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 25, 2025
Barcelona will begin the 2025-26 La Liga season as normal
With Camp Nou confirmed to be ready to host Barcelona matches starting in August, this could mean that Hansi Flick’s side will begin the 2025-26 season as normal, without having to play all of their away matches.
Earlier, Catalan media reported that Barcelona would ask La Liga to allow it to play its first four home matches away from home until the Camp Nou is completed.
It is assumed that this plan is now a thing of the past, and that Camp Nou will return to normal operation, albeit at a reduced capacity, ensuring that the first La Liga matches, and even the Champions League, will be held at its home ground.
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More about Camp Nou
Construction of Camp Nou began in 1954 and it opened on September 24, 1957, with a capacity of over 73,000 spectators. It is one of the most important and prominent stadiums in football history.
Camp Nou has hosted many major historical events in football and sports in general, such as the opening match of the 1982 World Cup, the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and several Champions League finals, most notably the 1999 match between Manchester United and Barcelona.
After the latest development, Camp Nou’s capacity is expected to reach 106,000 spectators, making it the largest in Spain and among the largest in Europe and the world. The cost of its renovations has reached more than €1.25 billion.
