FC Barcelona, in the final stretch of the 2024-25 season —with only three matches remaining and almost everything already decided—, begins to plan the 2025-26 season. One of the key issues on the club's roadmap is the expected return to Spotify Camp Nou, scheduled for September.
In this sense, the Blaugrana club would no longer be in a position to postpone its return to the imposing stronghold of Les Corts. As has been mentioned on several occasions, the board does not contemplate playing a third season at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. It is worth remembering that the permission to stay in said venue expires on May 20, which will allow Barcelona to play its last home game of this season, against Villarreal CF (05/18) on matchday 37, in Montjuïc.
Likewise, even if they wanted to prolong their stay in this stronghold, the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys will predictably be occupied with various events in the first months of next season, which makes its use as a provisional stadium unfeasible.
Strategy for the start of the 2025-26 season
Taking into account that Spotify Camp Nou will not be in a position to host matches until September and that LaLiga EA Sports 2025-26 is expected to start on the weekend between August 16 and 17, FC Barcelona would have already drawn up a strategy to minimize the impact of this situation.
According to 'Cadena SER', the Catalan team plans to request LaLiga to play the first three matchdays of the championship as visitors. In this way, it would take advantage of the month of August and the days of the FIFA break in September to advance the works and leave everything ready to return to the Camp Nou from matchday 4.
A return with conditions: limited capacity and minimum services
The same source adds that the return to the Camp Nou will be carried out under the same organizational model that is being used in Montjuïc. That is, with a digital season pass —not a traditional season ticket— acquired exclusively for the 2025-26 season. This pass will not have a fixed seat, although it will have a specific area, and will require confirmation of attendance prior to each match.
In turn, the return will be made with a capacity limited to 60,000 spectators. Apart from the fact that the third tier will not yet be built, the venue will operate with minimum services: access will be provisional, there will be no coverage for rain (not even in the presidential area), and not all the catering services that the stadium will offer once it is completely finished will be available either.