Barcelona score financial boost with Camp Nou reopening date
FC Barcelona have announced they will stage their first match at the rebuilt £1.25bn Camp Nou in August, in a significant boost to the financially constrained European giants.
The reigning Spanish champions have had to play their home games at Barcelona’s former Olympic stadium for the last two seasons, heavily denting their ticketing income.
But swift recent progress on the rebuild of the Spotify Camp Nou, which will be Europe’s biggest football stadium with a capacity of 99,354, has brought forward Barca’s homecoming to a matter of weeks.
The Catalan club confirmed on Wednesday that they will return to the revamped venue on 10 August for the traditional pre-season Joan Gamper Trophy exhibition tournament. Their opponents have not yet been announced.
“Barcelona officially announces its return to its stadium, the Spotify Camp Nou, on August 10, 2025 – a milestone that will mark the partial reopening of the club’s new home as part of the wider Espai Barça transformation project,” they said.
“This comeback represents a historic moment for the club and its supporters. After more than two years of major renovations and a temporary relocation to the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, Barça will once again feel the thrill of football in its legendary temple.”
Spotify Camp Nou to have reduced capacity
The Camp Nou will have a reduced capacity initially as work continues on finishing the new third tier, a “dual VIP ring”, the stadium roof, interior decoration and the surrounding area.
Local reports say that the two lower tiers will be open, however, meaning that capacity for the opening fixture is likely to be capped at around 60,000.
Barcelona have notified European governing body Uefa that they intend to play their home Champions League games at Camp Nou, a clear sign that they hope to make the move permanent at the start of the coming season.
LaLiga has agreed to let Barca play their first three domestic games away from home to give the club extra time to complete the renovation before relocating.
Financial difficulties in recent seasons have led LaLiga to impose transfer restrictions on Barcelona, who in turn activated several financial levers to free up capital.
Despite that, they have won two Spanish league titles in the last three years although they haven’t reached a Champions League final since winning it in 2015.