FC Barcelona still does not know the exact date of its return to Spotify Camp Nou. However, the club, led by Joan Laporta, has been granted additional time to complete the renovation work thanks to an agreement reached with LaLiga. Additionally, the matter of the test match has now been clarified.

Barcelona set to return to Camp Nou in September at the earliest

As reported during the Barça Reservat podcast on Catalunya Ràdio, Barcelona will begin the 2025/26 season with four consecutive away matches. This arrangement was made possible through successful negotiations between the club and the Spanish football federation. Although there were hopes that the first match with full stands would take place during the Gamper Trophy, Barcelona will not return to playing at Camp Nou until the fifth round of the league — meaning mid-September.

© FC Barcelona

Gamper Trophy to serve as a test event

New floodlights have already been installed at the stadium, as shown in photos published on the club’s official website. Thanks to the extended timeline, Barcelona will have a few extra weeks to fine-tune all aspects of the stadium and ensure a smooth reopening.

The Joan Gamper Trophy match, scheduled for August 9 or 10, will serve as a test event for the entire venue. The match will be played with a limited attendance of around 25,000 spectators, allowing the club to evaluate stadium infrastructure, crowd flow, and technical systems—nearly two years after the last game played there.