Camp Nou transformation is progressing well, with two key dates on the horizon. The first is November 2024, when FC Barcelona will play in a stadium that is 66% ready, and the next is 2026, when the project will be completed. Nevertheless, not everything looks perfect in Barcelona.

Developments at the Spotify Camp Nou construction site

Limak Construction, the Turkish company overseeing the work in Barcelona, is not only meeting deadlines, but exceeding them. The demolition of the third storey was completed a month ahead of schedule, and other minor tasks were completed in October.

However, the new Camp Nou will not feature a 360-degree electronic board, as explained by club vice-president and spokeswoman Elena Fort. She cited concerns that the scoreboard would be a distraction for fans and would not provide a sufficient economic return.

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Doubts over working conditions at Camp Nou construction site

During the demolition of the third storey, 450 people were working, around 80% of whom were Spanish nationals, with a further 20% coming from other countries, mainly Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. This percentage is expected to reach a ratio of 70 to 30 when the actual redevelopment of the stadium begins, when the figure of 1,500 workers may be reached.

In their statements, the workers speak of feeling like slaves, as they have to put in more than ten hours of effort a day, as well as on Saturdays, without even being paid enough. There are even some who sleep on the street to keep their jobs and their payment, which are below the minimum wage anyway.

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The workers who work in difficult conditions every day come from a percentage of foreign employees. They are not staff from FC Barcelona or Limak, but from the many companies that subcontract to them. The system is a giant pyramid scheme that involves many parties, some of whom have already been accused of irregularities. Limak has already faced criticism in Turkey for environmental destruction and worker safety issues. Allegations have included the destruction of a primeval forest before the construction of a lignite mine and hundreds of deaths during the construction of Istanbul airport.