The day after the victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta, accompanied by Limak construction company chairman Nihat Özdemir, CEO Ebru Özdemir, and other delegates, visited the Spotify Camp Nou construction site to personally observe the recent progress.

Focus on the VIP area

All attendees agreed on the importance of accelerating the pace of construction this month, taking advantage of the special permit from the Barcelona City Council allowing 24-hour work shifts. The delegation toured key construction areas, including the first and second tiers, the foundations of the third tier, and the VIP areas. They reviewed the ongoing development of VIP seating and visited the temporary press area currently used for club media coverage.

Completion of the VIP seating is crucial for Barcelona to return to the 1:1 financial rule before summer. The club's new auditing firm, Crowe Spain, recommended excluding revenue from 475 VIP seats since they are not yet built and therefore cannot generate income. Additionally, it advised spreading €100 million proportionally over the full duration of the related contract in financial reporting. Once the VIP sections are completed, they can be reintegrated into the club’s finances, and LaLiga would be obligated to restore Barcelona’s financial fair play conditions.

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A powerful tool to connect fans around the world

Spotify Camp Nou will feature the world’s largest mobile network coverage system for a stadium, as announced during the official launch of Barça Mobile, a new virtual mobile network operator owned by FC Barcelona. The event was held at Barça Immersive Tour, the club’s temporary museum located near Spotify Camp Nou. Joan Laporta emphasized that Barça Mobile will be a key business unit providing services to all socios and fans around the globe.

Laporta called the alliance with New Era Visionary Group (NEVG) and telecom operator Orange strategic. Orange will bring its customer base, fiber-optic infrastructure, and 5G connectivity to the project. Barça Mobile will offer mobile telephony, data, and fiber services. The collaboration will also include Spotify Camp Nou, which, as Laporta noted, will be equipped with state-of-the-art 5G infrastructure.

NEVG CEO Ruslan Birladeanu highlighted that Barça Mobile will operate in over 170 countries. Meanwhile, Joaquín Colino, Orange Spain’s Managing Director for Business Clients, noted that the 5G network installed at Spotify Camp Nou will have the capacity to serve more than 100,000 fans simultaneously, with the total investment exceeding €10 million.

© Espai Héctor