Barcelona’s return to Spotify Camp Nou delayed again amid licensing issues

FC Barcelona will have to wait a little longer before returning to their iconic Spotify Camp Nou, as the stadium’s reopening has been postponed beyond October.

The club had hoped to resume playing at the renovated venue within the next two weeks, but an official statement confirmed that the upcoming La Liga fixture against Girona will still take place at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.

“FC Barcelona informs that the match corresponding to matchday 9 of LaLiga, against Girona FC, which will be played on Saturday, October 18 at 4:15 p.m., will be held at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys,” the club said in a statement released via Sport.

Barcelona explained that the delay is due to pending administrative permits required to allow fans back into the Camp Nou, which remains under renovation as part of the Espai Barça project. The club said it is working closely with the Barcelona City Council to secure the necessary approvals.

According to the statement, the club expects to soon receive an initial occupancy license for Phase 1A, which would allow up to 27,000 spectators to attend. However, Barça intends to delay the official return until Phase 1B is completed, which would expand capacity to approximately 45,000 fans.

“The Club continues to work to obtain the necessary administrative permits for the opening of the Spotify Camp Nou,” the statement read. “Barcelona will return once the licence for Phase 1B has been obtained.”

The delay means that Barcelona’s next two home matches — including their Champions League clash against Olympiacos — will both be played at Montjuïc. The earliest possible return date could now be November 2, when they host Elche, although reports suggest that the club may choose to wait until late November for financial reasons.

The redevelopment of the Camp Nou is part of the club’s ambitious €1.5 billion Espai Barça project, aimed at transforming the historic stadium into a state-of-the-art venue with increased capacity and modern facilities.

For now, the wait continues as fans look forward to the long-anticipated homecoming — one that could mark the beginning of a new era for the Catalan giants.