Barcelona‘s long-awaited return to the Nou Camp has been cancelled with the stadium still not ready as the club confirmed where they would instead play their match against Valencia on Sunday.
The Spanish giants had hoped to reopen their revamped home in time for their first LaLiga match of the season in Catalonia, but they have again failed to secure the required licence from the city council.
Instead, Barca will now host Los Che at the tiny Estadi Johan Cruyff, which holds just 6,000 fans.
‘The Club is working intensively to obtain the necessary administrative permits for the opening of the Spotify Camp Nou in the coming weeks. For this reason, the match will instead be played at the Estadi Johan Cruyff,’ Barcelona said in a statement on Tuesday.
‘FC Barcelona would like to thank its members and fans for their understanding and support during such a complex yet exciting process as the return to the new Spotify Camp Nou.’
It marks the latest setback in the £1.25billion redevelopment of the famous stadium, which has already suffered multiple delays.
Barcelona ‘s long-awaited return to the Nou Camp has been cancelled with the stadium still not ready
The Johan Cruyff Stadium at the club’s Sant Joan Despí training base will host the Valencia match
Barca were originally scheduled to return last November, before revised deadlines of February and May this year also slipped. Their plan to stage the Joan Gamper Trophy at the Nou Camp in August was also abandoned due to the same issue.
The works, which began in 2023, are aimed at increasing capacity to 105,000 while adding new corporate facilities and a roof. Until construction is complete in 2026, the Nou Camp will operate at a reduced capacity of around 50,000 to 60,000. For now, even that is out of reach.
LaLiga have been informed of the situation, with Barcelona unable to obtain the ‘First Occupancy Licence’ required to welcome fans back into the ground.
The city council has made clear it cannot grant permission until the club has presented a final works certificate, something still outstanding.
Valencia forward Diego Lopez admitted his surprise at the uncertainty, speaking only five days before the fixture. ‘It doesn’t matter to us. What we have to do is prepare well for the match because the opponent is the same,’ he said, as quoted by Spanish outlet Sport.
‘The venue should not affect us in any way. But I find it incredible that five days before the match, we still don’t know. It should have been resolved long ago, both for the team and for the fans. Let’s hope it gets sorted out today.’
Hansi Flick, who won the league title in his first season in charge while the Nou Camp was closed, has been waiting over a year to stand in the home dugout.
Barca’s board had been forced into last-minute meetings to thrash out a solution and the club confirmed Estadi Johan Cruyff as the venue on Tuesday.
It marks the latest setback in the £1.3billion redevelopment of the famous stadium, which has already suffered multiple delays. Pictured: President Joan Laporta
Hansi Flick, who won the league title in his first season in charge while the Nou Camp was closed, has been waiting over a year to stand in the home dugout
The stadium usually hosts Barca B and the women’s team, and the league has been satisfied that requirements such as VAR camera installation and fibre-optic links have been met.
The Spanish champions playing a top-flight fixture in front of just 6,000 spectators had already stirring discontent elsewhere.
El Chiringuito claimed on Monday night that several LaLiga clubs are considering challenging the decision, arguing that it would give Barcelona an unfair advantage to stage matches in such an intimate setting.
The show reported that Getafe, Barca’s next home opponent after Valencia, are among those considering whether to lodge a protest. LaLiga regulations typically require a minimum capacity of 15,000, and some clubs feel allowing Barcelona to play at their academy ground would represent preferential treatment.
Barca are expected to defend the plan as a ‘force majeure’ situation, citing extraordinary circumstances beyond their control. But with the Champions League group stage opener against Paris Saint-Germain looming on October 1, UEFA will also want assurances that the Nou Camp can be ready in time.
