Barcelona extends camp Nou return to mid- February

Barcelona announced on Wednesday that their highly anticipated return to the Camp Nou will be postponed until at least mid-February, as the stadium undergoes significant modernization and expansion.  

In a statement, the club confirmed that their La Liga home fixtures against Valencia on January 26 and Alaves on February 2 will be held at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium.

The decision aligns with UEFA regulations that prevent stadium changes during the Champions League’s opening phase and aims to avoid logistical challenges and added costs of maintaining two venues simultaneously.

The Catalan giants are targeting their home league clash with Rayo Vallecano on February 16 as a potential date for their return to the Camp Nou.

Barcelona previously announced plans to reopen the partially completed Camp Nou by late 2024 with an initial capacity of 62,000 seats.

Full renovations, including a roof installation, are expected to be completed by the summer of 2026, expanding the stadium’s capacity to 105,000 as part of the ambitious “Espai Barca” project.

Work on the Camp Nou began in June 2023 but was slowed over permit complications and complaints over working conditions.

As a result Barca requested to extend their contract for the use of the Montjuic Olympic stadium “until March 31, 2025, as a precaution”.