Camp Nou return in doubt? Barcelona sign deal for Plan B stadium in case of another missed deadline

The contingency plan ensures Barca are not left stranded without a home ground if their return to the revamped Camp Nou is delayed further. According to Mundo Deportivo, the Spanish champions have officially signed an agreement with Barcelona de Serveis Municipals to secure the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys as their home base until the end of February. This deal covers the first phase of the Champions League, and a potential playoff, in line with UEFA regulations requiring a single venue throughout the League phase. Barca spent the last two seasons playing there while the Camp Nou renovations were being done.

The decision followed the City Council’s refusal to grant Barcelona the First Occupancy Licence in late July, which blocked them from hosting the Joan Gamper Trophy at Camp Nou on August 10. The arrangement underlines just how delicate Barca’s reconstruction project remains. Returning to Les Corts remains the clear priority, both for revenue and prestige, but the club cannot risk breaching UEFA competition rules or being left scrambling for a venue. With Camp Nou’s projected capacity of 62,000 far outstripping Montjuic’s 50,000, the financial stakes are high, especially given Barca’s well-documented budgetary pressures. This stadium saga reflects the balancing act between sporting ambition, logistical reality, and economic necessity as the club rebuilds one of football’s most iconic homes.

Notably, their La Liga clash with Valencia on September 14 is not included in the BSM agreement. With Montjuic unavailable due to a Post Malone concert, Barca are weighing alternatives, either playing behind closed doors at Camp Nou or relocating to another La Liga-certified stadium such as Girona’s Montilivi. The stadium of fierce rivals Espanyol has never been considered. The club also requested UEFA to schedule their first Champions League fixture away from home to buy more time, though European organisers rarely accommodate such requests. Suppliers have already been alerted to keep equipment on standby in case the Estadi Olimpic is required at short notice, showing just how fluid the situation remains.

The Estadi Olimpic, located on Montjuic hill, was originally built for the 1929 International Exposition and renovated for the 1992 Olympics.

Everything now hinges on whether the City Council grants the Final Construction Certificate and First Occupancy Licence in time for September. If approved, Barcelona could return to Camp Nou as early as the Valencia fixture; if not, Montjuic will continue as Plan B well into the winter. Either way, they face a season of logistical juggling as they seek to keep supporters engaged, maximise revenue, and ensure UEFA compliance, all while trying to compete at the highest level on the pitch.