10th November 2025
November 10 – After nearly 900 days of dust, cranes, hard hats, and local council hurdles, FC Barcelona finally reopened its home, the Spotify Camp Nou.
More than 21,000 lucky fans got their first intimate view of the partially completed stadium to watch an open training session.
It’s been a long, winding road for the Espai Barça project to finally arrive at this point. Costs have exploded, deadlines came and went, and the club’s financial woes forced multiple redesigns and funding renegotiations.
Club president Joan Laporta called the stadium “an architectural jewel that will be the best in the world,” saying it “retains the magic of its greatest moments but with a new soul – it’s like going back to the future.” For a fanbase that’s watched their beloved club from a variety of venues over the last three years, the prospect of arriving back at their spiritual home is akin to nirvana.
The contrast with their great rivals, Real Madrid, and their rebuild of the Santiago Bernabéu is stark. Madrid managed to modernise its ground in record time, while adding a retractable roof, sleek exterior, and commercial spaces.
While the reopened Camp Nou was only a test phase with a 25,000 capacity, the sight of fans back in their seats, and coach Hansi Flick scoring the first goal, is the clearest sign yet that the Camp Nou is almost back in business.
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