OFFICIAL: Barça postpones return to Camp Nou

It's now official. FC Barcelona announced on Friday evening that the team will postpone its return to the Spotify Camp Nou stadium, which was planned for August 10.

Due to the dimension of the construction site, "it has been impossible to reach all the requirements needed in the legislation that controls the granting of the license," a statement from the team reads.

Barça had earlier announced that the return would be on August 10 to play the Joan Gamper Trophy.

In a shared statement, vice president Elena Fort said, "the construction license is planned for buildings that get started, are finished, later checked, and then can be opened to the public."

"But, we have a particular construction site, under daily development, with daily changes, as it is a living construction work," Fort added.

The team informed that the Joan Gamper Trophy game scheduled for August 10 will now be played at the club's Johan Cruyff stadium outside of Barcelona.

Barça is "working side-by-side with the Barcelona city council and involved groups to be able to move forward the different requirements," the statement reads.

The football club will inform its members of any "new information" related to the return date to the Spotify Camp Nou.

Last week, the council explained it cannot start to decide on granting a license until work at the stadium is concluded.

In fact, with just one month to go to the important day, the return was still up in the air.

September return

Barça now views September 14, when they host Valencia in La Liga, as the new target date for reopening the stadium.

Club sources told Sport, earlier this week, they see that timeline as "viable," with all necessary permits in place by then.

The club had considered partially opening the stadium for 30,000 to 32,000 spectators, but logistical and regulatory challenges remain, including unfinished work in seating areas and unresolved access issues.

The delay also affects preparations for the UEFA Champions League, with the first group stage match scheduled for September 16–18 and UEFA regulations requiring the venue to be confirmed in advance.

While the debut for the La Liga competition has been scheduled for later in the calendar, in mid September, the club will start the championship as a visitor.

The problem, though, is with the Champions League. While La Liga allowed Barça's requests, UEFA Champions League's statements require to play all games of the first phase, the mini league, in the same stadium. So, Barça has to decide on: all or nothing.