Barcelona bets on playing as locals in 25/26 in three different stadiums

The board of directors of FC Barcelona remains intact in its commitment to return to the Spotify Camp Nou in time to play its first home game of 2025/26 back at the 'culé' temple. The club maintains the Estadi as the official venue for LaLiga, but already has several alternatives available for matchdays 4, 5 and 7, against Valencia, Getafe and Real Sociedad, respectively.

Against Valencia, the league has already given the 'Ok' to play at the Johan Cruyff Stadium. The official venue of the women's team and the reserve team does not have the minimum regulatory capacity for first division matches (the Ciutat Esportiva stadium holds 6,000, 2,000 less than the established minimum), but LaLiga approves the change as it is a force majeure.

Moving the match to Montjuïc is impossible due to prior commitments with the Estadi Olímpic, while going to Mestalla is not an option either. Barcelona already played its first three matches as visitors and a fourth would alter the entire calendar approved in July.

Barça could alternate three venues in just one month

Montjuïc before an FC Barcelona match.

This is how Barcelona could play its next home matches in three different stadiums, as long as the first occupancy license of the Spotify Camp Nou is resolved shortly. Against Valencia, in La Liga, it would be played at the Johan Cruyff for the fourth matchday.

Afterwards, against Getafe (matchday 5) and Real Sociedad (matchday 7), there would be a possibility of playing in Montjuïc if there is still no green light to return to Les Corts. Finally, the club could reopen the Estadi against Paris Saint-Germain, for the second matchday of the Champions League league phase (October 1).

In any case, the Barça board will be able to postpone, if necessary, their stay at the Lluís Companys until 2026. The idea is to reopen the Camp Nou as soon as possible, but the City Council and UEFA have the last word. 

September 28, key date to define the future of the Spotify Camp Nou

The Spotify Camp Nou under construction during August 2025.

Another sensible alternative is to play at the Johan Cruyff against Valencia and Getafe, giving margin until September 28 (against Real Sociedad) to the 'culé' temple. If the Estadi is still not available by then, then the option would be to return to Montjuïc, perhaps for the rest of 2025.

Barça is clear about avoiding, at all costs, keeping two stadiums open simultaneously. Therefore, it makes sense to postpone as much as possible an eventual return to Montjuïc and, if it occurs, stay there for several months, although UEFA will allow the club to reopen the Spotify Camp Nou in autumn despite playing one or two matchdays of the league phase at the Lluís Companys.

Everything will depend on the progress of the works in the coming days. If the Final Construction Certificate (CFO) receives the green light, it will be much easier to receive the first occupancy license from the City Council. Then it will be necessary to convince UEFA to approve the reopening of the Estadi with limited capacity, but increasing according to the phases planned by the construction company Limak.

The club intends to return to Les Corts with 27,000 spectators (in Tribuna and Gol Sur), a capacity that will later be 45,000 (lateral enabled) in phase B and, finally, 60,000 for the final stretch of 25/26 (phase C, with the Gol Norte operative).

If UEFA gives the thumbs down to this plan, then it will be necessary to play in Montjuïc until the four mentioned areas are fully enabled, together with the box area. The club secured until the end of February the permit with Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (BSM) to occupy the Lluís Companys, a relief to play the first half of the year without problems.