FC Barcelona is working on the next stages of the full reopening of Spotify Camp Nou. After more than two and a half years playing at Montjuïc, the club has returned home with attendance at around 45,000 spectators. Now it is time for the next step: increasing the stadium’s capacity to 62,000 seats.

The decision lies with the city of Barcelona

According to Spanish sports media, FC Barcelona has already submitted all the required documentation to City Hall to obtain the so-called 1C license. Its approval would allow the opening of the Gol Nord section and the full use of the first and second tiers of the stands, raising the stadium’s capacity to approximately 62,000 seats.

Although optimism prevails within the club, officials are not yet willing to set a specific date for the license to come into force, as everything depends on the decision of the municipal authorities. Unofficially, the match against Real Oviedo scheduled for January 25 is being mentioned as the first game that could be played with the increased attendance.

© FC Barcelona

The stadium as a financial engine for FC Barcelona

The gradual opening of additional sections of Spotify Camp Nou is crucial for the club’s finances. Barcelona’s management has repeatedly emphasized that the new stadium is meant to be the economic engine of the club’s recovery, capable of generating hundreds of millions of euros per year in the future. A larger crowd means not only higher ticket revenues, but also increased income from catering, VIP areas and the sale of official merchandise.

The club has already introduced solutions aimed at boosting matchday revenues. Fans are directed into the stadium through selected entrances that lead past shops, cafés and the largest official megastore, Barça Botiga. In particular, supporters seated in the main stand pass directly by the store, significantly increasing sales.

At the same time, FC Barcelona has decided to modify some of its original plans. The internal commercial and food boulevard initially planned between the first and second tiers will not be built in that location. Instead, it will be moved outside the stadium, while inside only the Barça Botiga will remain, integrated with the VIP areas, the museum and the locker room facilities.

© Alecaom

The road to full capacity at Camp Nou

The opening of Gol Nord and the granting of the 1C license will mark another important milestone in the Camp Nou redevelopment process. After this stage, two major steps will still remain: the completion of the third tier of stands and the installation of the roof. Once all works are finished, the stadium is expected to hold around 105,000 spectators, making it the largest football stadium in Europe.

For now, Barcelona can welcome just over 45,000 fans, but everything suggests that by early 2026 Camp Nou will once again be filled almost to capacity — to the delight of supporters and to the benefit of the club’s finances.