As: Barcelona confirms that Valen will return to Camp Nou on September 14, with audience limits to about 27,000

As reported on August 23 that Barcelona is about to return to the Camp Nou, and the road to reconstruction is full of challenges and hope. Since November 2022, the renovation project now called "Spotify" Camp Nou Stadium has officially started. Barcelona is now looking forward to returning to their home court.

According to the club confirmed and reported by Ass, the team will debut at the refurbished Spotify Camp Nou Stadium in September 2025, which will face Valencia with a match date set for the weekend on September 13 or 14. Despite an official announcement of the opening date, Barcelona has developed an alternative in case the game cannot be held at the new stadium.

Initially, it was believed that the Gambel Cup on August 10 could serve as an opening ceremony, but the plan was cancelled as the permit was not ready and the safety work of the Tribuna and GolSur stands was not completed. Therefore, Barcelona is still playing away at the beginning of the season and is expected to return in a month to officially celebrate the grand opening of the new stadium.

Phase reopening: From 27,000 to over 105,000 spectators, the new Spotify Camp Nou will not reach full capacity on the first day. Reopening will be carried out in phases under the plan approved by the city. In the first phase, the number of viewers will be limited to about 27,000 people, only to the Tribuna and GolSur stands. As the project progresses and the flanking area is in place, the number of seats will increase to 45,000. In the final stage, when the third floor stand, VIP area and the entire peripheral ring area are completed, the total capacity will reach 105,000 people, making the stadium the largest football stadium in Europe. The goal of the club is that in the medium term, Camp Nou will not only restore its status as a soccer mecca, but will also be a model of sustainability, accessibility and applied technology to meet the increasingly discerning fan needs.

The road to reopening of projects is not smooth, defects, and even floods. This ambitious project has been affected by various setbacks. Municipal inspections found security flaws in Tribuna and GolSur stands, resulting in the delay in issuance of partial occupancy permits. These accidents forced Barcelona to postpone plans to unveil a new stadium through the Gambel Cup in August.

In addition, a heavy rain in the summer tested the stadium's endurance, causing flooding inside the Camp Nou, and related photos were widely circulated on social media, triggering criticism of the engineering conditions. These issues make it feel like the reconstruction process is not as smooth as originally promised, forcing the club to be more cautious when determining the final return date. Nevertheless, management insisted that the stadium would be open on time in September and said that Barcelona would return to home with plenty of confidence once the final obstacles were overcome.