Barcelona's stadium drama explained: Camp Nou returned delayed yet again over permitting issues

Barcelona relocated the Joan Gamper Trophy exhibition match on Aug. 10 from Camp Nou to Estadi Johan Cruyff, marking yet another delay in the club's plans to reopen their stadium because of an ongoing renovation project.

La Liga's champions will play Como next month in a match that was supposed to mark their return to Camp Nou, but permitting issues will now make it impossible for them to play at the venue on that date.

"This decision is due to the fact that the necessary work to comply with the requirements of the Ordinance Regulating Municipal Intervention Procedures in Construction Works has made it impossible to complete the procedures required for the granting of the initial licence," the club said in a statement. "Specifically, due to the scale of the work carried out, it has not been possible to meet all the conditions laid out by the regulations governing this licence, despite the club's intention to reopen the redeveloped stadium sector by sector."

The 6,000-seater Estadi Johan Cruyff, where the women's team regularly plays, will host the match instead. Barcelona have primarily played in Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys while Camp Nou undergoes renovations, a stadium that seats 55,926.

The wait to see when Barcelona will return to Camp Nou will now extend to Sept. 14, when the first home match of La Liga's season is scheduled to take place against Valencia. That match is still scheduled to take place at Camp Nou, though the venue would still be in the final stages of its construction project and the stadium would not be open at full capacity.

Here's an explainer on the Camp Nou renovation project as the wait for Barcelona to re-enter their famed stadium continues.

When did Barcelona last play at Camp Nou?

Barcelona's final game at Camp Nou was on May 28, 2023 in a 3-0 win against Mallorca. Ansu Fati scored a brace and Robert Lewandowski also got on the scoresheet, while the match was the final time Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets played for the club before joining MLS' Inter Miami.

What renovations are taking place at Camp Nou?

There have been plans to expand and renovate Camp Nou as early as 2007 but the current construction project was confirmed in April 2022 and began following the conclusion of the 2022-23 season. The main focus of the project was the demolition of the third tier to expand Camp Nou's capacity from 99,000 to 105,000, which would make it the fifth-largest stadium in the world, but other portions of the stadium will be updated during construction.

"The work will focus on the first and second tier, technological aspects, the environs of the stadium, and exterior urbanisation," Barcelona said in a statement in April 2022. "Actions inside the Camp Nou will include the demolition of the additional structure in the South Goal zone where the Medical Centre was located, restoration work, anti-carbonation and waterproofing of the stands, as well as structural finishes and the improvement and renovation of retransmission systems.

"In terms of technology, the plan is to install new telecommunications connections, to relocate the data processing centre, to create a technical room for monitoring internal telecommunications infrastructures and to install the new facilities for the TV Compound, for parking of mobile TV units. There will also be actions around the stadium, including work on the Lateral Zone car park, the construction of the new smart central storage area, an experiential space for informing members and marketing the project, and the transplantation and conditioning of the trees."

What is the timeline for Barcelona's return to Camp Nou?

Barcelona initially expected to be back at Camp Nou for the 2023-24 season at 50 percent capacity while the final stages of the construction project continued before returning to full capacity for the 2024-25 season. Different construction-related delays have pushed out the date of their return, though.

The club will now target Sept. 14 as the earliest possible return to Camp Nou, when Barcelona are scheduled to play Valencia in their opening home match of the upcoming season. If they make the date, the venue will be open at 50 percent capacity.