The president of FC Barcelona Joan Laporta and the mayor of the city Ada Colau announced this Thursday that the Blaugrana club will play at the Olympic stadium for the entire 2023-2024 financial year, at the height of the Camp Nou renovation works.
The stadium and the sports complex of which it is part will be transformed as part of the “Espai Barça” project (Barça space in Catalan), which will be completed in 2025-2026. To finance this work, the club took out a loan of 1.5 billion euros: 900 million will be used at the Camp Nou, 420 at the Palau Blaugrana (used by basketball and handball) and 20 at the Johan Cruyff stadium, where the reserve team.
A 360 degree screen and 5G
In 2022-2023, the work will concern the first two levels of the stands and the surroundings of the stadium. Xavi’s men will therefore be able to continue playing there, with a capacity of “virtually 100%”, said Laporta. On the other hand, they will have to move in 2023-2024 to the Olympic stadium Lluis-Companys, located on the hill of Montjuic, where the 1992 Games took place.
Barça will return to their Camp Nou in 2024-2025, but with a capacity reduced by half due to the continuation of the works. The renovation will be completed during the 2025-2026 season. Among the novelties that will come out of it: a 360-degree screen, the installation of 5G and systems that improve energy efficiency. “It will be the largest and most innovative sports and training space built within a city,” promises Laporta, eager to return through the front door.