The Labour Inspectorate of the Generalitat de Catalunya has revealed that companies involved in the reconstruction of Camp Nou have accumulated nearly €1.9 million in fines and corrective orders for serious labour law violations. Since work began in June 2023, inspectors have opened 218 administrative proceedings.

Wave of abuses and worker exploitation

According to documents obtained by El Periódico de Catalunya through the Generalitat’s transparency portal, 77 companies participating in the project — led by the Turkish firm Limak — have been investigated. More than 1,500 workers have been or are still involved in the works.

Inspectors uncovered multiple instances of 16,000 unpaid overtime hours, workdays exceeding 10 hours, and pressure from supervisors. They also found wages below the minimum, lack of employment contracts, and dismissals of workers who tried to defend their rights — including labourers from Romania and Palestine.

We acted as we would with any company, always in defence of workers’ rights, said Miquel Sàmper, Catalonia’s Minister of Labour. He added that such abuses occur with notorious frequency.

Million-euro penalties and “pirate companies”

Of the total €1.87 million, some €1.43 million correspond to requerimientos — formal demands to correct irregularities and settle unpaid wages or contributions. Another €441,272 consists of actual fines imposed for more serious offences, such as non-payment of social security and withholding of salaries.

Trade unions have labelled several subcontractors as pirate companies, repeatedly flagged in previous Labour Inspectorate reports. The main contractor Limak, responsible for project oversight, declined to comment.

© FC Barcelona

Scandal involving Turkish workers

The most recent cases involve dozens of Turkish workers hired by subcontractor Extreme Works UAB. According to the trade union CCOO, these workers were employed without contracts or work permits, working 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, for around €2,000 per month — a sum roughly equivalent to the minimum wage once overtime is discounted.

A few days ago, several of them protested outside Camp Nou after 13 workers were dismissed verbally, without any documentation. The company ordered them to return immediately to Turkey, promising to pay the outstanding wages upon arrival. The CCOO union warned this was a form of economic coercion, urging authorities to regularise their status under existing laws that protect workers who report illegal employment.

Government and FC Barcelona respond

Labour Secretary Paco Ramos confirmed that inspections will continue and that the results of the investigation into the dismissed Turkish workers will be presented within three weeks.

In a press statement, FC Barcelona said it maintains constant cooperation with Limak to ensure full compliance with labour laws and workers’ rights, though the club did not directly address the cases reported in the media.

© FC Barcelona

Safety paradox

Paradoxically, despite widespread labour abuses, accident rates on the site remain relatively low. As of September 1, 2025, there have been 340 incidents — 339 classified as minor and only one as serious. For comparison, during the same period across all Catalan construction sites, 16 workers lost their lives and 8,906 were injured.

The renovation of the legendary stadium — intended as a symbol of modernity and prestige — has become an image problem for FC Barcelona. Despite earlier promises to sign a union agreement to prevent abuses, the deal was never completed. The general secretary of CCOO in Catalonia, Belén López, emphasized that it is a shame that an institution as prestigious as FC Barcelona allows its project to be associated with exploitation and human rights violations.