Barcelona have delayed the return of Camp Nou on four occasions now, having initially predicted that they would be back in their home stadium after renovation work in November of 2024. Now nearly ten months on, Barcelona are unable to guarantee when they will return.
Their plan is to return first with 27,000 fans, then 45,000 and finally 60,000 fans. Once the third tier is complete – originally scheduled for the start of next season, the capacity will be 105,000. Barcelona’s desperation to return is not simply to begin earning more matchday income from Camp Nou again, rather than playing at Montjuic, but by commitments to investors.
Although Barcelona have renegotiated to delay the beginning of their loan repayments to Goldman Sachs until 2033, but still have to pay the interest on those repayments. Cadena SER say that the cost this December will come in at €44m, and in December of 2026, will rise to €94m.