Away from the pitch after Barcelona’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Girona, to matters discussed in the eighth item on the agenda of FC Barcelona’s 2025 Ordinary General Assembly, Elena Fort, the club’s institutional vice president and head of Espai Barça, gave delegate members a detailed update on the progress of the Spotify Camp Nou renovation and what comes next for the fans’ long-awaited return.
This comes after Softfootball earlier reported that Joan Laporta urged the club faithful to be patient with the club regarding the stadium situation. Fort kicked off her presentation with a short video tour, showing every corner of the new-look stadium. The visuals captured how much work has gone into rebuilding Camp Nou into something fresh, modern, and ready to welcome the Barça faithful again.
Speaking on Phase 1A, which covers the Main Stand and South Goal, Fort confirmed that the club received the first occupancy licence from the Barcelona City Council last Friday. This stage means the stadium can now hold 25,991 spectators, including 81 spaces for fans with reduced mobility. It also brings upgrades in safety, new dressing rooms, a redesigned players’ tunnel, and improved access and fire suppression systems.
As for Phase 1B (Lateral Stand), Fort mentioned that the club is already working on all the necessary paperwork and remains in close contact with the city council to secure the next round of permits. Once this phase is done, capacity will increase to 45,401 fans, with 129 spaces for reduced mobility, and the stadium will be ready for testing and safety checks before reopening fully.
Watch the video of the Camp Nou’s progress uploaded via the team’s official X account:
Moving on to Phase 1C (North Goal), Fort revealed that authorization is expected before the end of the year. When complete, this phase will combine all previous upgrades, add new VIP lounges, and raise the total capacity to 62,518, with 171 spaces for reduced mobility.
Fort also introduced an exciting new initiative, a fans’ group called “Gol 1957”, created in honour of the original Camp Nou inauguration on 24 September 1957. This section, which won’t be ready for the initial reopening, will feature passionate fans aged between 18 and 28 who have been on the waiting list for at least two years. The club promises a gender-balanced group, with members attending at least 80% of home matches to boost the stadium’s atmosphere.
Before closing, Fort expressed heartfelt appreciation to the members for their patience and support during what she described as both an exciting and challenging process. She emphasised that teamwork and commitment from everyone would ensure that Barça’s return to Spotify Camp Nou is not just safe and well-organised but truly unforgettable.
