Barcelona will finally play a competitive match at their spiritual home again on Saturday, returning to the partially rebuilt Spotify Camp Nou for the first time in two and a half years, 913 days to be precise.
The La Liga fixture against Athletic Bilbao marks a long-awaited homecoming for a club that has spent more than 30 months in exile as its iconic stadium undergoes one of the most ambitious renovations in European football.
The club confirmed the decision on Monday, announcing that the Matchday 13 clash on Nov. 22 will kick off at 4:15 p.m. CET inside a Camp Nou, operating with severely reduced capacity.
Only 45,401 spectators will be admitted – less than half of what the fully finished 105,000-seat stadium will hold once construction wraps, now projected for mid-2027.
“Barcelona celebrates being able to compete again at its stadium and continue advancing in the comprehensive transformation project of the new Camp Nou,” the club said in its statement.
Barcelona last played an official match at Camp Nou on May 28, 2023, a 3-0 win over Mallorca.
The stadium closed immediately afterward to begin the 1.5 billion euro ($1.7 billion) Espai Barça redevelopment, a sweeping project that includes a new roof, expanded hospitality zones, improved accessibility, and a redesigned city-facing footprint.
Since then, Barça have rotated between temporary homes: the Olympic Stadium on Montjuic for the bulk of two seasons and, briefly, the smaller Estadi Johan Cruyff at the start of the current campaign.
Saturday’s return is possible thanks to the Phase 1A and 1B occupancy license allowing just over 45,000 fans inside.
The figure mirrors typical attendances at Montjuïc and represents a significant jump from the earlier limit of around 25,000, which the club deemed too low for a full reopening.
Barcelona conducted a successful readiness test on Nov. 7, when nearly 22,000 supporters watched an open training session inside the refurbished bowl.
The next milestone will be Phase 1C – expected by year’s end – which would lift capacity to roughly 62,500 as additional seating zones and hospitality areas come online.
Major structural work continues around matchdays. The third tier and the sweeping new roof remain under construction and will define the stadium’s completed identity in 2027.
Barcelona are also pushing to host next month’s Champions League group match against Eintracht Frankfurt at Camp Nou.
While the stadium meets UEFA’s technical requirements, final approval from European football’s governing body is still pending.
The return is more than logistical – it is deeply symbolic.
Many current players have never competed in an official match at Camp Nou, and for supporters, even a limited reopening restores a sense of belonging after years of displacement.
Financially, the move is a lifeline.
Expanded ticketing, partially activated VIP zones, and stronger matchday revenue streams provide crucial support as the club continues to navigate its financial recovery.
