Serious allegations have recently emerged concerning working conditions on the construction site of FC Barcelona’s new stadium, the Spotify Camp Nou. A group of Palestinian refugees employed by subcontractor Opportunity of a Lifetime SL accuse the company of exploitation, labor law violations, and unlawful dismissals.

Accusations against the contractor pile up

According to workers’ accounts, they were forced to work over ten hours a day, seven days a week, without proper breaks and without pay aligned with the collective labor agreement. Many were paid below the legal minimum, and promises of overtime pay were left unfulfilled. Workers also claim they were threatened with dismissal if they raised any complaints.

One worker, who suffered a leg injury on site, says he was fired a month later without notice. Another says he was told not to come back the next day after refusing to work extra hours. Most of the affected workers are refugees who fled war zones and were seeking stable jobs in Spain.

© FC Barcelona

What comes next?

The allegations cast a shadow over the project’s main contractor, Turkish company Limak Construction, and FC Barcelona, which commissioned renovation of Spotify Camp Nou. While the club may not be directly liable for the actions of subcontractors, the case raises serious questions about oversight and ethics in project management. The matter has been brought before Spanish courts, and the authorities have opened an investigation. Both Limak Construction and FC Barcelona are now under pressure to respond and to ensure proper working conditions at the construction site.

© FC Barcelona