The Catalan giants have played their home games at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium for the past two seasons
Marcus Rashford during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa FC at Parc des Princes.
arcus Rashford is expected to complete a transfer away from Manchester United this summer.
(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
FC Barcelona have revealed plans to host their inaugural match at the revamped £1.25bn Camp Nou in August, providing a financial lift for the cash-strapped European heavyweights.
The La Liga title holders have been playing their home fixtures at Barcelona's old Olympic stadium over the past two seasons, which has significantly impacted their ticket revenue.
However, rapid progress on the reconstruction of the Spotify Camp Nou, set to be Europe's largest football stadium with a 99,354 capacity, means Barca will be returning home sooner than expected.
On Wednesday, the club announced that they would mark their return to the iconic ground on 10 August for the annual Joan Gamper Trophy pre-season friendly, although the opposing team is yet to be disclosed.
"Barcelona officially announces its return to its stadium, the Spotify Camp Nou, on August 10, 2025 – a milestone that will mark the partial reopening of the club's new home as part of the wider Espai Barça transformation project," they stated.
The comeback is a momentous occasion for both the club and its fans, who have been awaiting the completion of extensive renovations and the temporary shift to the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium. The return to the hallowed grounds of Camp Nou is eagerly anticipated by supporters eager to experience the excitement of live football once again.
The financial boost could be good news for Manchester United, given Barcelona's reported interest in Marcus Rashford this summer.
The United academy graduate is available for £40million, having spent the second half of last season on loan with Aston Villa. Barca are one of the teams linked with an interest with Rashford himself keen on the move.
If a move for Rashford is completed, then it seems that he will be playing at the Camp Nou in the new season.
As reported by CityAM, initially, the stadium will operate with a reduced number of spectators as construction continues on the new third tier, an exclusive "dual VIP ring", the stadium's roof, interior design, and the adjacent areas.
Spanish reports indicate that the two lower tiers will be open, suggesting that the capacity for the inaugural match is likely to be limited to approximately 60,000. Barcelona have informed UEFA, the European governing body, of their intention to host their home Champions League matches at Camp Nou, signalling their aspiration to make this a permanent arrangement from the start of the upcoming season.
LaLiga has granted Barcelona permission to play their first three domestic matches away from home, providing the club with additional time to finish the renovations before moving in. Financial struggles in recent years have resulted in LaLiga imposing transfer restrictions on Barcelona, who have subsequently activated several financial mechanisms to release capital.
Despite these challenges, they have secured two LaLiga titles in the past three years, although they haven't made it to a Champions League final since their victory in 2015.