Khaberni - FC Barcelona announced on Monday its official return to its historic stadium "Camp Nou" on the 22nd of this month, when it will host Athletic Bilbao in the 12th round of the Spanish Football League, after an absence of two years due to comprehensive renovation works on the stadium.
Since the closure of the stadium at the end of the 2022-2023 season, the Catalan club had to play its matches in alternative stadiums, notably the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium which hosted the majority of the team's matches during this period.
Development Project Worth 1.5 Billion Euros with Repeated Delays
The opening of the "Camp Nou" in its new attire came after a series of delays that postponed the return date by a whole year, amid a huge development project valued at 1.5 billion euros, which was marred by chaos and construction difficulties that affected the progress of the works.
In the framework of practical tests before the official opening, the club opened the stadium doors to about 23,000 fans at the beginning of this month to watch a training session of the team in a trial event to assess the readiness of the facilities.
Alternative Stadiums for Barcelona and Administrative Challenges
Due to the non-readiness of "Camp Nou" and the incomplete safety permits, Barcelona had to play only two matches at the "Johan Cruyff" stadium, designated for training, which has a capacity of 6,000 spectators, in the early weeks of the season, before the gradual return to the main stadium.
"Camp Nou".. A History Dating Back to 1957
"Camp Nou" was inaugurated in 1957 with a capacity of 99,000 spectators, becoming one of the most important stadiums in Europe and the world.
The future plan for the project includes installing a completely new roof during the summer of 2027, a year later than previously scheduled, as part of the final stage of developing the club's facilities within the "Espai Barça" project.
The Importance of Barcelona's Return to "Camp Nou"
The return to the renovated stadium marks a significant milestone for the club and its fans, for its sporting, commercial, and popular implications, notably:
• The team's recovery of its historic stadium after a long period of relocation.
• Providing greater audience capacity and an enhanced attendance experience.
• Boosting the club's economic resources through ticket sales and events.
• Advancing the huge development project to a new execution stage.
