Barcelona started the 2025-26 season successfully with a win against Levante. However, their recent draw against Rayo Vallecano raised questions about their next game. The team is now preparing for their first LaLiga home match against Valencia. Unusually, this match will not be held at Montjuic or Camp Nou but at the Estadi Johan Cruyff.
The Estadi Johan Cruyff, which has a capacity of only 6,000 seats, was chosen because Spotify Camp Nou is under renovation and they did not get permission to use it. They anticipated partial approval for their stadium but failed to prepare Montjuic, resulting in a Post Malone concert being scheduled there and making it unavailable for the game against Valencia.
With limited seating at Johan Cruyff Stadium, 10,151 out of 16,151 Barcelona associates won’t be able to attend the match. To distribute tickets fairly, the club decided on a zone-based lottery system, grouping members by region. This decision led to criticism from fans who were disappointed by the lack of proactive measures.
Barcelona are not the first LaLiga team to adopt this measure amid stadium renovations
Barcelona is the latest LaLiga team to play at their youth team’s stadium but is not the only one doing so. In March 2020, Real Madrid hosted 32 official matches at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium in Ciudad Deportiva de Valdebebas, which has a capacity of just 5,797 and does not meet the regulatory requirement of 6,000 for Second Division games.
Raphinha of FC Barcelona presents teammate Lamine Yamal with the Player of the Month trophy
Despite receiving criticism, the Culers are following typical procedures under special circumstances. LaLiga has given special approval to maintain standards for performance.
When will Barcelona reportedly return to the Spotify Camp Nou?
After the announcement of renovations in 2023, President Joan Laporta initially promised a partial reopening by November 2024, indicating progress on the project. However, delays have pushed back the timeline. Still, Barcelona hopes to gain permission for a partial reopening soon, allowing 27,000 spectators at Spotify Camp Nou.
According to ESPN, Barcelona has arranged to play at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium until February 2026. Vice President of Institutional Area, Elena Fort, did not provide a specific reopening date but mentioned a potential return to Camp Nou between February and June 2026. This suggests a gradual approach to fully operationalizing the stadium.