Causes and consequences of the delay in returning to Spotify Camp Nou

It was an open secret. Now it’s official. It will not be in November to celebrate the club’s 125th anniversary nor before the end of 2024. FC Barcelona officially informed its members and subscribers yesterday that it will continue playing at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys throughout the month of January. The new objective is to be able to reopen the Spotify Camp Nou in mid-February with a limited capacity of 64,000 subscribers between the first and second stands. But that will be if the Barcelona City Council, the Fire Department, the League, the RFEF and UEFA authorize it with their respective licenses.

The club maintains that part of the delay in the return is due to UEFA regulations that prevent it from changing stadiums during the initial phase of the Champions League. A phase that, for Barça, ends against Atalanta on January 29. With this context, the club points out that, given the logistical difficulties and the extra cost of keeping Montjuïc operational for Champions League matches and the Spotify Camp Nou for League matches at the same time, it has been decided to continue playing on the Olympic mountain at least until February.

The calendar and the capacity

First and second tiers: 64,000 spectators. February 2025
​Third tier: 30,000 spectators. Academic year 2025-2026
​VIP capacity: 7,500 seats. Academic year 2025-2026
End of works: 2027

This change of plans means that Flick’s men will also play in Montjuïc the matches against Valencia (January 25 or 26) and Alavés (February 1 or 2), on matchdays 21 and 22 of the League. If there are no setbacks, the The Barça team’s debut at the Spotify Camp Nou will be against Rayo Vallecano, on matchday 24 of the League that will be played on February 15 or 16. Or even a few days before, on February 11 or 12, if Barça plays the qualifying round for the Champions League round of 16 and plays the first game at home.

Barring a setback, the Barça team’s debut will be against Rayo Vallecano on February 15 or 16

At the moment, Limak’s cranes do not stop working from Monday to Friday with 2,800 workers on the ground. Currently, about 700 seats are being placed daily and some internal work is being completed, such as the electrical installation of the first and second tiers. They are also advancing in the construction of the third tier, which should open in the middle of next year. In fact, club sources explain to this newspaper that, after learning about UEFA regulations, Limak has taken advantage of these last two months to advance its construction.

To reopen, the approval of the RFEF, the League, UEFA, the City Council and the firefighters is necessary.

But, beyond the pace of the works and other climatic imponderables or the complaints of residents who have prevented work on Saturdays since July, it happens that to reopen the Spotify Camp Nou in mid-February, Barcelona needs sports permits from LaLiga, the RFEF, UEFA and also the licenses of the Firefighters and the Barcelona City Council, which must evaluate whether the facilities are safe for 64,000 fans to attend with a third stand under construction.

Sources from the Blaugrana club explain that Limak’s plan is to finish the first and second stands in January so that the aforementioned organizations have time to study the land before the end of February. But the club also knows that obtaining approval from the council is neither easy nor quick. Currently, the construction license for the side parking spaces of a 4,000-space underground car park still needs to be granted and the council must also approve the modifications to the access made by the current board.

Sources from the council indicate that, although Barça has not extended the formal request to end the course in Montjuïc, it would not mean an alteration in the cultural agenda of the Olympic mountain if the club asked permission at the last breath so that, by not have the licenses, they can extend their stay at the Lluís Companys.

Price change

Barcelona informed members with a Montjuïc season ticket and who have or are in the process of obtaining a provisional place at the Spotify Camp Nou that the delay in the calendar affects the validity period of both passes. So, as reported during the reservation process for both season tickets, the price of the matches will be regularized. The proportional cost of the League matches against Valencia and Alavés that will finally be played in Montjuïc will be deducted from the Spotify Camp Nou pass. It will not be necessary to regulate the price of Atalanta in the Champions League given that this stake was already included in the Estadi Olímpic ticket for the first half of the campaign. The club also reported that, if they played at home in February (11-12 or 18-19) in the playoff for access to the round of 16 of the Champions League, this match would be included in the Spotify Camp Nou subscription. It remains to be confirmed where the hypothetical Copa del Rey quarterfinals would be played, scheduled for Wednesday, February 5.