After two long years of construction, countless delays, and complex obstacles, FC Barcelona has finally received the green light to return to their iconic home ground—Spotify Camp Nou. The Catalan club officially announced today that the city authorities have granted them the Phase 1B occupancy licence, allowing 45,401 spectators to attend their La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao this Saturday.
For Barcelona, the phrase “returning home” has felt more like a never-ending wait over the last two years. High-profile fixtures like the Joan Gamper Trophy have been cancelled, with every scheduled date for the reopening of the stadium being postponed at the last minute. However, with today’s approval from the city council’s special committee, the club is finally able to put the chapter of delays behind them.
For the first time, Barcelona’s head coach Hansie Flick will manage the team from the new dugout at Camp Nou. Though Flick and the squad did step onto the new pitch during an open training session on November 7, when 23,000 fans were in attendance, it was still a moment of anticipation. At that time, the club only held a Category 1A licence, meaning that only a limited number of fans could attend. With today’s approval, the number of fans allowed to gather will rise to 45,000.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta and his board had initially hoped to mark the club’s 125th anniversary on November 29, 2024, by symbolically returning to Camp Nou. However, the ongoing construction delays made that impossible. Subsequent dates for reopening, such as a match against Atlético Madrid on December 21, also had to be postponed. After multiple setbacks, the day has finally arrived.
With this historic return, Barcelona now sets its sights on the next big goal: reviving their European nights. The club is already working on hosting a Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt on December 9, 2024, at the newly renovated Camp Nou.
For the football fans of Catalonia, today’s announcement feels like an early Christmas gift. After an agonizing wait, Barcelona is finally going home.