FC Barcelona has received permission from UEFA on hosting games in the Champions League at Camp Nou.
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European football governing body UEFA has granted FC Barcelona special permission to switch its home venue half way through the Champions League’s 2025/2026 league phase according to RAC1, which cited anonymous sources.
This means that if the stadium is ready in time for its first home fixture against competition holder Paris Saint-Germain, Barca could technically host its games at Camp Nou at a later date in a break from usual norms.
UEFA usually insists that all home games are played at the same ground while allowing changs of venue for the knockout phase.
In a huge boost to President Joan Laporta and the club, however, Culers could enjoy seeing their team on the continent at Camp Nou before 2025 has drawn to a close.
FC Barcelona is facing a race against time
Closing Camp Nou in the spring of 2023 to under go a major face lift, Barca has told fans that the ground would be ready to receive punters on various occasions.
An opening to coincide with the club’s 125th anniversary in 2024 was touted then missed, and there were also other dates talked about last season which never came to pass.
The biggest promise of all came earlier this summer when Barca went out on a limb and announced that it would return home on August 10 to host Como in the Joan Gamper Trophy match.
As we now know, that 5-0 win was instead contested at the tiny Johan Cruyff mini estadi which holds just 6,000 matchgoers, and Barca is now facing a race against time with one eye on a home La Liga meeting with Valencia on September 14.
Bad news for FC Barcelona
According to the same outlet, trusted Catalan radio station RAC1, Barca has already been informed by the city council that it can’t open Camp Nou for the Valencia tie.
That too will have to be witnessed at the Johan Cruyff stadium, and there are other Spanish top flight showdowns to consider on the two following weekends.
As for the Champions League, though, there is more optimism that the Camp Nou will be satisfactorily ready for PSG on October 1 because “works have progressed a lot in the last 15 days”.
Even if that isn’t true, UEFA’s decision is a relief to FC Barcelona
Granted it will be disappointing for the clash with Luis Enrique’s reigning European kings not to be held there, but UEFA’s permission – if truly received- is still a huge relief for Barca.
If Camp Nou once more isn’t ready in time, the Blaugrana can go against usual rules and change its home venue during the group stage in an unusual show of flexibility shown by the governing body.
Though the ground should initially open to 30,000 fans as opposed to Montjuic’s 50,000, with Barca once more looking at playing games in the Olympic stadium for a third term, there is nothing like a European night at one of the most iconic grounds in the sport.
Given the magnitude of the occasion, and the opposition, ticket prices could be raised to maximise profits which for a club in Barca’s economic predicament is important no matter how unfair to FC Barcelona fans.