In a new development, Que T’hi Jugues reports that FC Barcelona and the Barcelona City Council have reached an agreement to modify the previously granted activity licence for the Camp Nou, adapting it to the current state of the stadium’s renovation works.
Initially, the council had approved a licence for a partial reopening to host 62,000 spectators, covering the first and second tiers.
However, as that phase of the construction has not been completed, both parties have now agreed to revise the licence, reducing the permitted capacity to around 27,000.
Plan split into three sub-phases
In recent weeks, the club and the council have agreed to divide the first phase of construction into three sub-phases.
The first sub-phase will allow access to the completed Tribune and South Goal areas (27,000 capacity), and the second will include the Lateral section (increasing capacity to 45,000).
The final phase would come once the works on the North Goal are complete, allowing full use of the first and second tiers (up to 62,000).
BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 02: A general view of the inside of the stadium during the LaLiga Santander match between FC Barcelona and CA Osasuna at Spotify Camp Nou on May 02, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Spotify Camp Nou opening date still unclear. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
This agreement does not mean that Barcelona has received final approval to open the stadium for the 14 September La Liga match against Valencia (Matchday 4).
For that to happen, the club must first complete work on the Tribuna and South Goal, ensure the required access points and safety measures are in place, and then formally apply for the First Occupation Licence from the council.
Additionally, the club must submit a Partial Initial Safety Control (ECA), which involves various safety and prevention checks.
Following that, the council will dispatch its inspectors for a full stadium review, and the project must also receive favourable reports from Civil Protection and the Fire Department.
Only after these steps are completed will the official licence be granted. The process is neither quick nor simple, though the club is now more optimistic than it was in the lead-up to the Gamper Trophy match, where the idea of a partial opening was already under discussion.