Barcelona will play the 2023-24 season at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic due to the planned renovation of the Nou Camp.
The works on the iconic 99,000-seater stadium will begin at the end of this season with the first and second tiers. It is part of the ‘Espai Barca’ project — Barcelona’s attempt to modernise their facilities in the city.
Speaking at Barcelona City Hall, following the approval of the Nou Camp’s renovation by the council, club president Joan Laporta said: “Regarding the affectations of the 2022-23 season, we will practically maintain 100 per cent of the capacity.”
The third tier of the Nou Camp will be demolished in the summer of 2023, with renovation continuing into the following season.
Barcelona will then play the 2023-24 campaign away from the Nou Camp for the first time since 1957, with the Olympic Stadium across the city to be their temporary home.
The Olympic Stadium — or the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys — is a 60,000-seater venue in the south west of Barcelona that overlooks the coast.
It has previously hosted Copa del Rey finals, as well as several Spain national team friendlies.
The England national team have also played there on two occasions, facing Andorra in a Euro 2008 qualifier in 2007 and a 2010 World Cup qualifier in 2008.
The renovation of the Nou Camp is expected to cost €1.5 billion and be completed during the 2025-26 season.
Barcelona say that the team could return to the Nou Camp for the 2024-25 campaign but games would only be able to be played at 50 per cent capacity.
In March, Barcelona reached a “long-term” agreement with streaming giant Spotify to rename their stadium to the ‘Spotify Camp Nou’.
Spotify will also sponsor the men’s and women’s teams’ shirts from the start of next season.
(Photo: Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
