Barcelona Approaches Return to Camp Nou Amid Ongoing Renovations

Barcelona conducted an open training session at Spotify Camp Nou on Friday, attracting 23,000 enthusiastic supporters, as the club inches closer to returning to their storied stadium.

The team has not hosted a match at Camp Nou since 2023, having temporarily relocated to the Olympic Stadium to facilitate a €1.5 billion refurbishment of the iconic venue.

This training session served as a trial event before the anticipated return to official matches, which the club hopes to schedule later this month. President Joan Laporta indicated that the plan is to resume play either during the LaLiga match against Athletic Club on November 22 or a week later when they face Alavés on November 29, coinciding with the club’s 126th anniversary.

If these dates do not materialize, Barça is set to welcome Atlético Madrid for a league match on December 2.

The timeline for these matches is contingent upon the council granting a permit that would allow the stadium to accommodate 45,401 spectators. Currently, the club holds a license for 25,991 attendees, which was awarded in October. The club intends to hold off on an official return until they can welcome a larger crowd.

Renovations are ongoing at the stadium, with the first two tiers nearing completion; however, work remains on the third tier and the roof. The projected date for final completion is 2027, with the capacity incrementally increasing to a total of 105,000.

Following the training session, Laporta reiterated his desire to see former Barça star Lionel Messi return for the grand reopening of the stadium. “It would be an exceptional way to inaugurate the fully finished stadium, with 105,000 fans in attendance paying tribute to Leo,” he expressed. “Of course, it depends on what Messi’s camp decides. Presidential elections will occur before then, but if I remain in office, it is something I would love to facilitate.”

Messi’s departure from Barcelona in the summer of 2021 did not afford him a proper farewell, largely due to the suddenness of his exit and the COVID-19 restrictions that were in place at that time. The Argentine forward has not publicly addressed the possibility of returning for any upcoming celebratory match.

The wait to return to Camp Nou has extended beyond initial expectations, with the club hoping to resume play by the end of 2024 originally. Earlier this year, a potential return was considered, but the timeline was subsequently pushed to the current season. Unfortunately, delays in securing the necessary permits forced the team to play their first two games of the season at the 6,000-capacity Estadi Johan Cruyff, as the Olympic Stadium was unavailable. They have since returned to the Olympic Stadium for their last five home games, but hope that their recent 3-1 victory over Elche will mark their final match there.