The board of FC Barcelona awaits a positive response from the City Council to the request for the first occupancy license for phase 1B of the Spotify Camp Nou, with the Lateral stand now enabled and a capacity for 45,000 spectators.
The success of the operational trial carried out last Friday, with open-door training, gives the club greater confidence in obtaining the permits that will allow, after two and a half years, to play League and Champions League matches again in the culé temple.
For now, Barça could only play League matches at Camp Nou with the Tribuna and Gol Sur enabled for almost 23,000 fans. Less than half of what the Lluís Companys stadium in Montjuïc can accommodate. For this reason, the board preferred to wait for the completion of the Lateral stand to return home.
Additionally, UEFA will only allow Champions League matches to be played at Les Corts with all three stands open, in order to segment visiting fans. In principle, each club must play all league phase matches in the same stadium, but **Joan Laporta hopes to obtain special permission to play against Eintracht and Copenhagen** at the revamped Barça stadium.
Saturday, deadline for City Hall to respond to Phase 1B
In principle, the club expects to receive a response from the City Council between Thursday and Saturday regarding the authorization of the Lateral. Unlike phase 1A, the first occupancy license for the second stage should arrive more quickly
The reason has to do with advances in access and ensuring the operational safety of the structure. Boxes, press areas, and entrance zones show a much more recognizable face, although the facade and the construction of the third tier still have a lot of work to complete.
The open-door training session served to check how ready the Spotify Camp Nou is to host matches every three or four days, and in that regard, there is confidence that everything will be ready, at the latest, for matchday 14 of La Liga, on Saturday, November 29 against Alavés
And indeed, to host Athletic (Saturday the 22nd), the deadlines may be too short regarding logistics and ticket sales. In any case, the venue for the clash against the Basques must be confirmed this weekend, while the team rests during the international break.
If there were a new delay in the opening of Camp Nou for its phase 1B, Barça could continue playing at Montjuïc until the end of the year if it deems it appropriate. The club renewed its permit to occupy Lluís Companys until February 2026 with Barcelona Serveis Municipals (BSM) last summer
FC Barcelona's Upcoming Home Games
- November 22 (16:15 CEST): vs Athletic for LaLiga Matchday 13.
- November 29 (16:15 CEST): vs Alavés for LaLiga Matchday 14.
- December 02 (21:00 CEST): vs Atlético de Madrid for LaLiga Matchday 19 (postponed).
- December 09 (21:00 CEST): vs Eintracht Frankfurt for Champions League Matchday 6.
- December 14 (TBD): vs Osasuna for LaLiga Matchday 16.