Why Barcelona will be forced to vacate Camp Nou again next season after €510m funding approved

Barcelona must temporarily vacate Camp Nou again next season following the approval of a fresh €510 million (£438m/$584m) financing package to install the stadium roof. Club treasurer Ferran Olive confirmed the first team will return to the Montjuic Olympic Stadium while intensive construction work takes place. Hierarchy officials project that the Blaugrana will not make their permanent homecoming to their iconic ground until January 2028.

Repeated construction delays have forced the board to take decisive financial measures to keep the ambitious Espai Barca redevelopment on track. During a pivotal vote over the weekend, club socios officially ratified the new funding package to offset the growing financial fallout caused by project setbacks. Barcelona clarified that the capital injection was necessary to "cover the economic impact caused by delays in project execution."

Club directors have detailed how the supplemental capital will be structured to finalise essential stadium infrastructure and technological modernisation. Detailing the multi-stage mechanism in an official statement, Barcelona announced: "The operation is structured in two components."

Outlining the financial breakdown and corresponding market instruments, the club explained: "The first tranche consists of €300 million that will allow for the completion of Camp Nou, a project whose scope has been significantly expanded compared to original plans through the incorporation of new facilities, services, and technological solutions. The second component consists of €210 million, to be obtained via two issues of Media Notes of €105 million each. The first was issued in July 2026, while the second is scheduled for October or November 2026."

This latest round of borrowing pushes the projected total cost of the ambitious stadium overhaul to nearly €2 billion (£1.7bn/$2.3bn).

Current matchday capacity stands at 62,000, though that figure will increase to 75,000 this season with the progressive reopening of the third tier. Barcelona will welcome 95,000 spectators back in January 2028 before capacity peaks at 105,000 for the 2028-29 season. The finished project will immediately showcase its grandeur to the world, having already been selected by UEFA to stage the 2029 Champions League final.