Barcelona’s Camp Nou Return Delayed Again; It Would Take a ‘MIRACLE’ to Finish 105,000-Seater Stadium on Time. Possibly The Stadium Could Be Completed Next Season.
Barcelona will need a’miracle’ to complete its £1.25 billion Nou Camp project on schedule, with officials worrying the 105,000-capacity stadium may not be ready until the start of next season, according to reports in Spain.
The LaLiga giants had wanted to present the freshly rebuilt stadium as part of the club’s 125th anniversary celebrations on November 29, but have already been forced to postpone their return until March 2025.
Last month, the Catalans informed supporters that they will continue to play matches at the Estadi Olympic Lluis Companys until the New Year and beyond. The club stated that a UEFA rule, which prohibits teams from changing stadiums during the Champions League’s initial phase, played a significant role.
Barcelona, who are second in the Champions League group stage table to Arne Slot’s in-form Liverpool, had planned to return in time for the competition’s knockout phases in March.
But now, according to Spanish source Marca, Barcelona’s board admits it will take a’miracle’ to return in time for the new March deadline, with the Spotify Nou Camp still under construction. According to the source, Barcelona expects to be gone from their stadium for the rest of the season and may not return in time for the start of the following season.
According to reports, emergency exit preparations and turf laying in the stadium are particularly behind schedule.
If they qualify, which appears certain at this point, the LaLiga leaders will prefer to start their 2025-26 Champions League campaign at the Spotify Nou Camp to avoid violating UEFA’s stadium rules. The Catalan team first left the Nou Camp in May 2023 to begin significant renovations to its 67-year-old stadium.
The historic arena was stripped down to its basic bones, leaving only a concrete skeleton, with the whole top tier removed to construct the third and boost capacity by 6,000 seats. Upon completion, Camp Nou will become the largest stadium or sports facility in Europe.
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