Barcelona Fans Return to Camp Nou After 894 Days as Renovation Nears Final Phase

It’s been a long wait — almost two and a half years, in fact — but Barcelona supporters finally got to sit inside their famous stadium again. The last time they gathered here, they were celebrating big silverware and cheering on a young Ansu Fati as the future of the club.

Fast-forward through 894 days, a full squad evolution, and a massive renovation project, and things look very different. Fati is long gone, Lamine Yamal has become the new teenage superstar, and Barça have added more trophies along the way.

Yet the Camp Nou itself is still a construction zone, cranes towering and scaffolding framing the sky — a reminder that this return is only a preview of the finished project.

Fans Back, But Stadium Still a Work in Progress

Even unfinished, excitement burst through the stands as around 23,000 fans packed into the sections currently open for viewing, selling out the open training session with ease.

For many players — including head coach Hansi Flick, academy stars Dani Olmo and Pau Cubarsí, and new signing Marcus Rashford — this was their first real moment inside the stadium as Barça players.

Supporters waved shirts and merchandise, especially for Yamal, soaking in the warm Catalan sun and the surreal feeling of being back in the temple of Barcelona football.

This session also acted as a test run for future competitive matches. The club still needs two final licenses — one to host 45,000 fans, and another to fully reopen the stadium — which are expected before the end of the year.

Setbacks, Delays, and Controversy

The road back has been anything but smooth. Delays have hit almost every timeline the club set — from last November to February, then May, and even the planned Joan Gamper Trophy match this summer.

Barça have been playing mostly at the Olympic Stadium, with even a match at the tiny 6,000-seat Johan Cruyff Stadium at one point.

The revamped Camp Nou is set to reach a massive 105,000 capacity, upgraded hospitality spaces, and a roof — but until finished, the stadium will run at about 50,000–60,000 seats.

There has also been controversy: recent reports mentioned a public-health investigation after a construction worker allegedly contracted tuberculosis. Workers’ unions protested this week too, claiming dozens of laborers without proper papers were dismissed and at risk of deportation.

The club responded saying it is working with construction partners to ensure labor laws and rights are respected.

What Comes Next?

Barcelona fans may need a little more patience, but today felt like a symbolic milestone — a taste of what’s coming.

When those final approvals land, and when that roof and final bowl are complete, the club expects to unveil one of the world’s most advanced football stadiums — the next era of the Camp Nou.