Barcelona Set to Return to Renovated Nou Camp After More Than Two Years
Barcelona will return to their historic Nou Camp this weekend after more than two years, hosting Athletic Club in a La Liga match. The stadium reopens with a reduced capacity of 45,401 following partial renovations, with the game scheduled for Saturday, 22 November, at 15:15 GMT. Barcelona last played an official match at the Nou Camp on 28 May 2023 against Real Mallorca before the venue closed for modernization. Renovation work began in June 2023, costing around £1.1bn, with plans to upgrade the stadium and expand its capacity to 105,000, aiming to make it one of the largest football arenas in the world. Initially, the club had hoped to return in November 2024 to coincide with its 125th anniversary, but a series of delays pushed back the reopening. During the renovation, Barcelona has primarily used the 55,000-seat Olympic Stadium on Montjuic hill. This season, the team also played two matches at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium, home to the women’s team, after failing to secure the necessary permit for the Nou Camp due to safety concerns. “Barcelona celebrates being able to compete again at its stadium and continue advancing in the comprehensive transformation project of the new Camp Nou,” the club said. It is also in talks with UEFA to host next week’s Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt at the renovated venue, although official confirmation is pending. Opened in 1957, the Nou Camp has been Barcelona’s home for decades and previously had a capacity of 99,000 spectators.
