Stadium plans revealed: Barcelona announce date for return to Camp Nou – as Valencia secure €322m financing for new ground

FC BARCELONA have announced the date for their long-awaited return to the Camp Nou after more than two years away – even though renovations remain incomplete.

The Catalan giants will head back to their famous ground – currently sponsored by music streaming platform Spotify – on August 10, 2025, for the Joan Gamper Trophy, a one-off annual exhibition match played every pre-season.

Major construction will continue even though Barcelona’s president Joan Laporta originally assured supporters that renovations could be completed in December 2024.

In a statement, Barcelona said the date would be a ‘milestone’ as the club ‘takes a symbolic and emotional step into the future,’ but warned that ‘this return will happen while construction work continues in various areas of the stadium’.

The stadium officials added that “remaining work includes the completion of the third tier, dual VIP ring and roof installation as well as final touches in various interior spaces as well as urban development around the stadium.”

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“During this period the Club will ensure that members, fans and visitors have the best experience possible at the Spotify Camp Nou by facilitating the access and adapting the services.”

The groundwork began in 2022/23, when Barcelona moved temporarily to the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium on Montjuic.

Once finished, the Camp Nou stadium will be able to hold 105,000 people, making it both the largest stadium of Europe and Spain. It is also the third-largest in the world. 

Elsewhere, Valencia CF today announced that the club had secured the full €322 million funding required for a new stadium, set to be one of the largest in Europe with over 70,000 seats, nearly 10% of which will be hospitality.

The club released a statement saying: “Naumestalla, which is scheduled to open in 2027 as per schedule, will be a benchmark for stadium development around the world.” Valencia CF will benefit from the modern, state-of-the art stadium. It will also unlock new revenue streams for long-term sustainability that will enhance its influence and competitiveness in decades to come.

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“Nou Mestalla is not just a transformative investment for Valencia CF – it will be a landmark and legacy project for the city and is set to become an iconic symbol for Valencia CF fans, benefiting the city of Valencia, its residents and visitors.

This new stadium will be designed in accordance with world-leading multifunctional venues, and it is expected that the revenue generated by the old Mestalla facility will increase. Nou Mestalla is set to become the epicenter of sport, leisure and entertainment for the entire city and the greater Valencia region.

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