Barcelona's return to Spotify Camp Nou postponed as stadium licence withheld; Valencia match moved to 6,000-seat Johan Cruyff Stadium

Barcelona's planned reopening of the rebuilt Spotify Camp Nou has been cancelled after the city council declined to issue the required first occupancy licence, the club confirmed Tuesday, forcing Sunday's LaLiga match against Valencia to be relocated to the 6,000-seat Estadi Johan Cruyff.

The club said it is "working intensively to obtain the necessary administrative permits for the opening of the Spotify Camp Nou in the coming weeks," and thanked members and fans for their "understanding and support during such a complex yet exciting process." LaLiga has been informed of the venue change.

Construction work on the Camp Nou began in 2023 as part of a redevelopment project the club says will raise capacity to about 105,000 and add corporate facilities and a roof. The program, which has cost roughly £1.25 billion and been beset by repeated setbacks, had already pushed back the club's return several times from initial plans to reopen last November and revised targets in February and May of this year.

City officials said they cannot grant the first occupancy licence until Barcelona provides a final works certificate, a document the club has not yet presented. Without the licence, the stadium cannot legally admit spectators, leaving the Camp Nou operating at a reduced capacity or closed entirely until inspections and paperwork are complete.

The Estadi Johan Cruyff, at the club's Sant Joan Despí training complex, normally hosts Barcelona B and the women's team. The venue has met technical requirements such as VAR camera installation and fibre-optic links, the club said, but its 6,000-seat capacity falls well short of the typical LaLiga minimum of 15,000, prompting concern and reported challenges from other clubs.

Spanish television show El Chiringuito reported that several LaLiga clubs, including Getafe, are considering formal complaints about the move, arguing that the small, intimate setting could materially affect competition and seeking to determine whether exceptions amount to preferential treatment. Barcelona is expected to argue the situation amounts to force majeure, citing extraordinary circumstances beyond the club's control.

Players and staff expressed frustration at the continued uncertainty. Valencia forward Diego Lopez told Spanish outlet Sport that he was surprised the issue remained unresolved five days before the fixture, saying the venue "should not affect us in any way" but that it "should have been resolved long ago, both for the team and for the fans." Manager Hansi Flick, who won the LaLiga title in his first season in charge while the Camp Nou was closed, has been awaiting the opportunity to stand in the home dugout for more than a year.

The ongoing delays raise questions about whether the redeveloped stadium will be ready for Barcelona's Champions League group-stage opener against Paris Saint-Germain on Oct. 1. UEFA has standards and logistical requirements for venues used in European competition and will expect assurances that the Camp Nou will meet those conditions if the club intends to host high-profile fixtures there.

Until construction is completed, currently scheduled for 2026, Barcelona has said the Camp Nou will operate at a reduced capacity of roughly 50,000 to 60,000. For now the club cannot even reach that interim figure without the occupancy licence.

Club officials held last-minute meetings to agree the contingency of using the Johan Cruyff Stadium for Sunday’s match. The decision preserves the fixture schedule but will limit attendance and matchday revenue and keep thousands of season-ticket holders from viewing the game at the club's traditional home. Barcelona said it will continue working with municipal authorities to secure the outstanding paperwork and reopen the Spotify Camp Nou "in the coming weeks."