Barcelona’s long-anticipated homecoming to the Spotify Camp Nou will have to wait a little longer.
The club has officially confirmed that their first home game of the 2025–26 La Liga season, set for Sunday, September 14 against Valencia, will be played at the Estadi Johan Cruyff, a 6,000-seat ground next to the club’s training facilities.
The Valencia clash was initially marked as the night Barcelona would reopen the revamped Camp Nou, but final approval from city inspectors has not yet been granted.
According to Barcelona’s statement, while renovation progress has advanced significantly, the stadium still does not meet the required safety standards to host 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,” Barça announced.
Barcelona also expressed gratitude to fans for their patience during what they called a “complex yet exciting” transition period.
Adding to the complications, the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys which is the team’s temporary home for the past two seasons is unavailable due to a Post Malone concert. This left Barcelona with few alternatives, leading to La Liga granting special permission to use the Johan Cruyff Stadium, despite its small capacity.
To meet league requirements, Barça have installed VAR technology, a fiber optic connection, and upgraded the pitch irrigation system.
If the Camp Nou is still not cleared for the following week’s fixture against Getafe, that match is expected to be staged at Montjuic. Reports suggest the Catalans may need to continue using the Estadi Olímpic until January 2026 if further delays occur and a scenario viewed as a major setback given the club’s initial plan to reopen the Camp Nou in fall 2024.
For now, Barcelona fans will experience their long-awaited home debut in the most intimate of settings, hoping it’s the last stop before returning to their legendary stadium.
