Barcelona keeping special ceremonial kick-off secret and planning half-time performance on Camp Nou return against Athletic Club

Barcelona’s return to the Spotify Camp Nou against Athletic Club marks the end of a 909-day exile and the beginning of a new chapter at the iconic stadium. According to Mundo Deportivo, the club has confirmed that the refurbished venue will welcome 45,000 supporters, with gates opening at 2:15 PM, two hours before the 4:15 PM kick-off, to ensure fans experience the full pre-match lineup of celebrations.

The reopening event is designed to be both emotional and theatrical. As per the report, DJ Mon will be the first to perform as fans enter, followed by the central pre-match segment beginning at 4:00 PM. Catalan duo Figa Flawas will take the stage shortly before kick-off, while the Orfeo Catala will perform the ‘Cant del Barca’ accompanied by fireworks, symbolising the club’s return to its spiritual home.

But the biggest talking point ahead of the match is Barcelona’s deliberate secrecy surrounding a “special ceremonial kickoff.” The club has refused to reveal who will take the honour, teasing supporters with the promise of further surprises throughout the evening. At halftime, popular group The Tyets will perform.

Barca have encouraged fans to arrive early, fill the renovated stands in Blaugrana colours and immerse themselves in what the club describes as a once-in-a-generation moment. 

The reopening is not only a logistical triumph but also a deeply sentimental milestone for the club’s leadership. President Joan Laporta has spoken extensively about the emotional weight of the return, calling Saturday’s event “a historic moment” and telling RAC1, “It’ll be wonderful to be back.”

Sporting director Deco added his personal tribute through a series of messages shared on Instagram, each reflecting pride in Barcelona’s homecoming after more than two years away. His posts captured the atmosphere the club wants to create, “The Future is Here: We’re Coming Home, to the New Spotify Camp Nou.”

In a second message, he wrote: “It’s a pride to see how our house is transformed to house the next chapters of FC Barcelona’s history. Long live Barca!” He followed with a third reflection: “The Legend Returns: Back to the New Spotify Camp Nou! I feel immense pride witnessing the return of FC Barcelona to its transformed home.” And finally, echoing the club’s historic motto, one more declaration: “More Than A Club!”

These messages underline the importance of the moment internally at Barca. Beyond the performances and the secret kick-off, the reopening is being framed as a symbolic rebirth, a return not just to a stadium, but to identity, history and continuity. For Laporta, Deco and the wider institution, Camp Nou is more than infrastructure; it is the heart of the club.

Barca’s return comes at the end of a renovation saga far more complex than anticipated. The club had originally left the Camp Nou in 2023 to begin a €1.5bn modernisation project designed to transform the ageing 1957 structure into a world-class, revenue-generating venue. However, the journey back has been marked by repeated setbacks, shifting deadlines and ongoing construction challenges.

The initial plan targeted November 2024, coinciding with the club’s 125th anniversary, but this quickly proved unrealistic. A proposed return for the Gamper Trophy in August 2025 also fell through. Even La Liga’s flexibility in allowing multiple away fixtures at the start of the 2025-26 season failed to align with the pace of construction, forcing Barca to temporarily move matches to the Estadi Johan Cruyff and later back to Montjuic.

The delays stemmed from several structural and administrative hurdles, including approvals linked to Phase 1B and ongoing negotiations with the city council. The Espai Barca project itself has a long backstory, Norman Foster’s 2007 redesign failed to progress, then the modernisation plan proposed under Josep Maria Bartomeu in 2014 stalled amid financial turmoil. When Laporta returned to the presidency in 2021, he radically revised the project, leading to socios approving a new model in December of that year. Turkish construction firm Limak was hired in early 2023, with funding secured through Goldman Sachs shortly thereafter.

The new stadium features expanded VIP rings, improved infrastructure, modernised changing rooms and a redesigned players' tunnel. These updates aim to increase recurring revenue, projected at around €120 million annually, while elevating the fan experience.

Saturday’s match against Athletic Club is more than a celebration; it is a first operational test of the new Camp Nou. The ultimate goal is to reopen the stadium at its full 105,000-seat capacity, though no definitive completion date has been set.

On the sporting side, Hansi Flick’s team will hope to turn the emotional return into a performance boost. Playing at the Estadi Olimpic and later splitting games across alternative venues disrupted momentum over the past two seasons. The return to Camp Nou is viewed internally as a psychological turning point for both players and supporters.

Athletic Club arrive as the first visitors to the partially reopened stadium, giving Barca a high-profile opportunity to mark the occasion with a statement result.