Finally, the time has come, Barca returns “home.” However, the renovation is still not complete.
Two and a half years after the start of extensive renovation work, FC Barcelona returns to the Camp Nou this weekend. Coach Hansi Flick’s team will host Athletic Bilbao in the rebuilt arena on Saturday at 4:15 pm “We are returning home,” Barca wrote on social media.
The return of the traditional Spanish club to its home venue was originally planned for November 2024, but had to be postponed repeatedly. Now the city of Barcelona has given the green light, and around 45,000 spectators can be there. The modernization of the stadium is not yet complete, work continues on the upper tier, and the planned roof has not been completed. The Catalans are planning a capacity of 62,000 spectators before the end of the year; After the renovation is complete, the Camp Nou should offer space for 105,000 fans.
The last football match before the start of the renovation took place in May 2023. Since then, construction work has been delayed, which has meant significant losses in revenue for the club. The costs for the modernization of the stadium are estimated at around 1.5 billion euros. Most recently, the Spanish champions played their home games at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic.
Barca had already trained in the Camp Nou on November 7 in front of 21,795 spectators. The club also hopes to be able to play its Champions League games there again – but UEFA approval is still pending. Teams participating in European competitions are theoretically not allowed to change their home stadium during the season.
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