Barcelona, Spain – July 19, 2025 – FC Barcelona will not host the Joan Gamper Trophy match at the Spotify Camp Nou on August 10th, the club confirmed today. While the Barcelona City Council has approved a phased reopening plan for the stadium, necessary licenses to host a game are still pending. This decision follows warnings from the city council in June that the required permits were not yet in place.
The ongoing renovation of the Camp Nou, officially rebranded as Spotify Camp Nou in 2022, has forced Barcelona to play its home games at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 seasons. The aspiring project, overseen by construction firm Limak and led by architect Josep Bort, aims to transform the iconic stadium into a state-of-the-art venue with a capacity exceeding 105,000.
The initial phase of the reopening is targeted for 27,000 spectators, focusing on the southern goal and the corresponding tribune. Approval for this phase hinges on receiving an environmental control certificate, completion of ongoing work, and a district permit, all requiring thorough security inspections. Barcelona officials are aiming to host their first La Liga match at the partially reopened camp Nou against valencia on either September 13th or 14th, the fourth matchday of the season.
The phased reopening plan progresses as follows: Phase one will accommodate 27,000 fans; phase two will add the sides, increasing capacity to 45,000; and a third subphase will bring the total to 60,000.The final phase, encompassing the remaining third stands, will ultimately deliver the projected capacity of approximately 105,000.
Securing a partial initial control (ECA) certificate and the corresponding partial occupation license are crucial steps before each phase can open to the public. Barcelona recently received an Activity and Works license in June, marking an initial step towards reopening. The Les Corts district has also renewed the existing works license for the Camp Nou until september 12th, maintaining current conditions while expediting the reopening process with reduced capacity. jordi Valls,the fourth deputy mayor and current acting mayor of Barcelona,emphasized that the decision regarding phase one approval will be made after all required information,especially security assessments,is reviewed.
