FC Barcelona still hopes to return to the renovated Spotify Camp Nou in September, but at the same time the club has prepared a backup plan in case of further delays. Moreover, the club’s website has already removed Camp Nou as the venue for the match against Valencia, replacing it with “TBC.”

Camp Nou comeback pushed back

Barça had originally scheduled the grand return for August 10 with the Joan Gamper Trophy, but legal requirements for construction licensing were not met, forcing the club to drop the idea.

The new target is September 14 against Valencia in LaLiga, though doubts remain over whether the date can be met. Interestingly, the official FC Barcelona website no longer states that the match will be played at Spotify Camp Nou. Instead, it now shows TBC (To Be Confirmed).

© Espai Héctor

Champions League headache and UEFA’s no

The Champions League adds another layer of pressure. The group-stage draw takes place on August 28, and by then Barça must confirm its home ground. The club asked UEFA to play the first game away to buy extra time, but according to Catalunya Ràdio, the request was rejected as unprecedented.

To cover that scenario, Barcelona already secured an agreement with Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (BSM), the operator of the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. The deal runs until February 2026, allowing the club to host matches at Montjuïc, including the full group stage and any playoff round — which UEFA regulations require to be played at the same venue.

© FC Barcelona

Liga debut still up in the air

Even so, the first league game back at home isn’t straightforward. The clash with Valencia on September 13 or 14 isn’t included in the Montjuïc deal, since a Post Malone concert the night before will leave the pitch unfit. Options like moving to Espanyol’s ground or playing behind closed doors at Camp Nou are practically off the table.