BARCELONA’S rebuilt Camp Nou stadium remains closed ten months past its scheduled reopening date amid ongoing reconstruction chaos and safety concerns.
The club initially planned to reopen their iconic ground in November 2024 for their 125th anniversary celebrations after closing it in May 2023 for renovations.
Multiple deadlines have passed including targets in spring 2025 and August 2025 while the stadium stayed shuttered and problems mounted.
Barcelona hoped to begin their current season at the renovated Camp Nou with La Liga scheduling their first three matches away to provide extra preparation time.
After moving from their temporary Olympic Stadium home, Barcelona played their first two home matches at their 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff training ground.
This temporary solution cost the financially-stricken club an estimated four million euros in lost revenue.
Barcelona suffered another setback this week when city council delayed granting a permit for a reduced 27,000-capacity reopening due to evacuation route problems.
The city council’s deputy mayor emphasised that safety remains the absolute priority for all stadium visitors.
Barcelona have secured temporary use of the Olympic Stadium for upcoming matches against Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain.
Club president Joan Laporta remains optimistic about obtaining the permit for an October 18 reopening against Girona.
Construction challenges have included flooding that required rebuilding two changing rooms twice.
Neighbour complaints forced restricted working hours due to noise and light pollution issues.
Material costs increased significantly partly because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The renovation preserved the original stadium’s two lower tiers from 1957 but required over 2,000 unexpected modifications.
Barcelona are funding the 1.5 billion euro project and need stadium revenue to comply with La Liga’s financial rules.
Club officials showed journalists the impressive new seating areas and pitch which offer clear upgrades despite the unfinished third tier.
Interior areas remain incomplete with the first team dressing room not yet built and visiting dressing rooms lacking finishes.
Barcelona’s institutional vice-president Elena Fort stated that while decorative elements are missing, the stadium meets safety requirements for matches.
The stadium’s evacuation time will improve from eight minutes to four-and-a-half minutes at full capacity.
Final capacity will increase from 99,000 to 105,000 making Camp Nou Europe’s only six-figure capacity stadium.
Completion dates have been pushed back with the roof installation now scheduled for summer 2027.
Barcelona risk losing revenue from their Spotify naming rights deal if the stadium isn’t 90% full this season. – AFP