Camp Nou is being renovated: FC Barcelona will play in the Olympic Stadium in 2023/24
Olympic StadiumBarcelona
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FC Barcelona will not play their home games in the 2023/24 season at the Camp Nou but at the city’s Olympic Stadium.
FC Barcelona will play their home games in the 2023/24 season at the old Olympic Stadium once the Camp Nou is renovated as part of the renovation work. The Catalans announced this in an official statement on Thursday afternoon.
“Renovation works at Camp Nou, the heart of the Espai Barca project, will start in June this year, once the football season has ended, in accordance with the planning permission granted this morning,” the statement said.
And further: “The works will focus on the first and second tier, the technical aspects, the surroundings of the stadium and the outer urbanization.”
Some work is also being carried out inside the stadium, which opened in 1957. “The measures inside the Camp Nou include the demolition of the additional building in the south gate area where the medical center was located, restoration works, anti-carbonization and waterproofing of the stands, as well as structural finishes and the improvement and renewal of the transmission systems.”
However, due to current events in the world and the associated uncertainties, the measures have been postponed by one season. “As President Joan Laporta said a few weeks ago, given the uncertainties posed by the war in Ukraine, particularly in relation to costs and the availability of materials, a precautionary principle will be observed in order to minimize the risks and increase the revenues of the next season, but with the least possible impact on the work schedule.”
“The demolition of the third tier will therefore take place in the summer of 2023, which is a time saver given the current pricing uncertainties and will ensure that the Camp Nou can operate at virtually full capacity next season. Earlier demolition would have meant the season 2022/23 should have played with only 50 percent of the capacity.”
In which stadium will Barca play in the 2023/24 season?
The works at Camp Nou will be carried out throughout the 2023/24 season, allowing it to reopen the following season at 50 percent of its full capacity.
Barca have found a temporary home for the period of the renovations: the Spanish Olympic Stadium, also known as the Lluis Companies Stadium.
Located in Montjuic, the stadium has a capacity of 55,926 and was the main venue for the 1992 Olympic Games.
The league has also confirmed that the Camp Nou renovations will be fully completed sometime in 2025/26, with a new 360-degree canvas as part of the final design.
“The future Camp Nou will feature cutting-edge technologies, including a 360° canvas inside the stadium, which will offer a new experience for fans,” Barca’s statement continued.
“The security and access control systems will also be improved and the possibilities of 5G connectivity will be optimally used.”