FC Barcelona celebrated a significant moment in their history as players trained at the iconic Nou Camp on November 7, 2025. The squad held practice at their home field for the first time since early 2023. It was a short 895 days, the period needed while the stadium was through a £1.25 billion refurb.
The club had originally hoped to be back at Nou Camp by the end of 2024. That timeline moved back to early 2025. In the end, it was moved further still, to coincide with the beginning of this season. Currently, Barcelona has a license allowing 25,991 fans to access the Nou Camp, issued in October. The club intends to hold off bringing them back officially until they can welcome a bigger contingent of their raucous fanbase, though.
It’s a challenging and expensive refurbishment project, but the work is coming along very well, with the first two tiers of the stadium almost done. When complete, Nou Camp will feature a capacity of 105,000, which would rank it among the five largest stadiums in Europe. As of now, construction is ongoing on bringing the third tier and yeah, the roof, at some point. Even then, the most recent estimates only promise that the whole project will be done by 2027.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta is already dreaming of his side’s return to Nou Camp. He confirmed that the club is aiming for the LaLiga showcase match vs Athletic Club to be held either the weekend of November 22 or the week after. This homecoming would mark the club’s 126th birthday. So this will be a uniquely special event for fans and players alike.
Barcelona used the Olympic Stadium to play their home matches during the refurbishment period. The players can sense the tangible buzz as they get ready to head back to Nou Camp. Marcus Rashford shared his enthusiasm for the stadium’s atmosphere, stating:
“I think it’s a beautiful stadium and as you can imagine, when it’s full it’s going to be unbelievable. I cannot wait to be on the pitch with more of the home fans.” – Marcus Rashford
Supporters lined the entire pitch to get a close up look as their favorite players went through drills in the open practice. This venue is incredibly special and sentimental to most of them. Hansi Flick commented on the significance of this event, saying:
“It’s lovely that they can be here to watch the first training session. The pitch is beautiful and I’m really looking forward to playing here.” – Hansi Flick
The excitement of Barcelona’s first return to Nou Camp showcases the club’s deeply entrenched history, as well as the feverous support of the Catalunya-based club. Both players and advocates are preparing for an inevitable return. They’re brimming with optimism about the thrilling vision for the future taking shape at one of football’s most historic venues.
Leave a Reply