SUPPORTERS of FC Barcelona will have to wait even longer to roar on their side at the Camp Nou after the club suspended its return just three weeks after announcing a new homecoming date.
Last month, the Catalan giants said they would head back to their famous ground – currently sponsored by music streaming platform Spotify – on August 10, 2025, for the Joan Gamper Trophy, a one-off annual exhibition match played every pre-season.
At the time, the club said the game would be a ‘milestone’ as the club ‘takes a symbolic and emotional step into the future’, but warned that ‘this return will happen while construction work continues in various areas of the stadium’.
But now fans will be left disappointed after the club announced they were unable to obtain the necessary licences from the local council and would therefore have to delay their homecoming.
A statement on the club’s website read: “FC Barcelona hereby announces the suspension of the first match scheduled to take place at the revamped Spotify Camp Nou, which was set to coincide with the Joan Gamper Trophy on 10 August.
“This decision is due to the fact that the necessary work to comply with the requirements of the Ordinance Regulating Municipal Intervention Procedures in Construction Works has made it impossible to complete the procedures required for the granting of the initial licence.
“Specifically, due to the scale of the work carried out, it has not been possible to meet all the conditions laid out by the regulations governing this licence, despite the club’s intention to reopen the redeveloped stadium sector by sector.
“The club is liaising closely with Barcelona City Council and the relevant authorities to make progress on the different requirements and will inform its members and fans of any new developments regarding the return date.”
Work on the ground began after the 2022-23 season, with Barcelona temporarily relocating matches to the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Montjuic.
Once completed, the Camp Nou will have a capacity of 105,000, making it the largest stadium in Spain and Europe, and the third largest in the world.
According to local reports, the club now view September 14 as the most ‘viable’ return date, coinciding with a home game against Valencia in La Liga.
Spanish football authorities have allowed Barcelona to play their first three games away from home, giving the club more time to finish stadium renovations.
But the delay could impact preparations for the UEFA Champions League, with the first group game scheduled for September 16 and UEFA regulations stipulating that the venue must be confirmed well in advance.
The 2025 Joan Gamper Trophy will now be held at the Estadi Johan Cruyff, a small ground housing 6,000 spectators located by the club’s training ground.
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