In this article we’re going to be taking a look at the future of Camp Nou, the iconic home of FC Barcelona. We will explore the ambitious plans for the new Camp Nou, the challenges faced by the club, and the uncertainties that lie ahead – as well as a forward peak at what the finished stadium will look like once completed.
History
Camp Nou has been FC Barcelona’s home since officially opening on 24 September 1957 when it replaced Les Corts, after Barcelona moved from its previous home which had a capacity of just 48,000 and became too small for fans of the team led at the time.
Originally the official name was ‘Estadi del FC Barcelona’, but it soon got the nickname ‘Camp Nou’, which means the ‘new ground’. This name was not made official until the 2000/2001 season after a postal vote made by club members and since then ‘Camp Nou’ has been the official name of the stadium.
The current capacity is 99,354 making it the biggest stadium in Europe. When it was first opened in 1957, it held 93,053 spectators. This was increased to 120,000 in 1982 for the FIFA World Cup. New regulations outlawing standing areas reduced the stadium’s in the late 1990s to just over 99,000.
Given the history of the stadium, it is much beloved by fans, yet whilst it is iconic, it is also an ageing and creaking old concrete bowl, which is out of date for modern football, which has led to plans for it to be partially demolished this summer and renovated into a new 105,000-seat stadium that will be the centrepiece of the club’s new ‘Espai Barca’ sports campus.
Changing Plans
Barcelona Club President Joan Laporta has said that Barcelona are embarking on an exciting journey to redefine the Camp Nou experience, with a vision to create a state-of-the-art stadium that reflects the rich history and values of FC Barcelona while embracing the future.
Plans to build a new stadium are not new, with club members first voting in favour of the Espai Barca campus project in a referendum held in April 2014, under the previous president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Two years later, a design by Nikken Sekkei was selected, which included a remodelled 105,000-seater stadium, a new 10,000-seat indoor sports arena to replace the Palau Blaugrana, a renovated museum, shop, restaurants and offices.
That was all originally due to be completed by 2021, but the club’s financial issues and the COVID-19 pandemic caused delays. Then, in March of that year, Laporta and his new board took over, and it soon became clear they had no intention of working with the plan or team they inherited. The changes Laporta and his team decided to make were substantial, resulting in a cost increase from €815 million to at least €1.5 billion.
Despite such lofty plans, Laporta’s vision has come with its fair share of challenges which has seen plans for the new stadium change on several occasions.
Challenges
Anyone who’s visited Camp Nou over the past decade will know the stadium is overdue for an upgrade. Its archaic design makes for an outdated fan experience, and from the club’s perspective, there are further reasons for change. With just five per cent of its seats classified as ‘VIP’, Barcelona’s home ground generates much less matchday revenue than those of other leading clubs around Europe.
These changes to the design implemented by Laporte have seen all the original architects, engineers, and consultants either left or been replaced. There are also concerns about the lack of experience of some new hires and the difficulties of coordinating a project of this magnitude.
The current plans for the design of the new Camp Nou have been described as a mish mash, drawn from four different architectural companies, each with their own interpretation of the brief. This has led to delays and uncertainties about whether the project can be delivered on time and within budget. The project had originally set a completion date of 2021. However, the club’s financial struggles and the pandemic forced them to revise their timeline. The current estimate is to finish the project towards the end of 2025 when it is likely to have to open at around 50% capacity, before it can be fully finished by 2026.
Temporary Home
As construction of the new Camp Nou progresses, the club faces another challenge – playing their home games at a temporary stadium, as they move for the 2023/24 season to Estadi Lluis Companys.
The ground was previously the home of Catalan rivals Espanyol, and is an iconic stadium in its own right, having been the centrepiece of the 1992 Summer Olympics. The Estadi Lluis Companys has a capacity of just over 55,000 and will enable Barcelona to retain an intimidating atmosphere during home matches despite their stadium move. The club have also stated that they will provide travel options for fans to allow them to get to the ground as easily as possible.
This arrangement is expected to cost Barcelona over €90 million each year and adds to their already substantial debt.
The outcome
Despite all the challenges, once built the new Camp Nou will be spectacular.
Along with the increased capacity, a new retractable roof will also be installed on top of the stadium, with solar panels covering the top which will be used to power the 360-degree screen that will run around the entire interior.
Further efforts to improve sustainability will also be made by collecting and recycling rainwater.
Improvements will not be limited to the interior either, with big plans for outside the ground also in place.
New offices, green spaces, an on-site hotel, event spaces, an ice rink and a “pavilion arena” which will be the home for the basketball team are all set to be introduced.
Whatever you think of Barcelona as a club, there is no doubt that the New Camp Nou will be a fitting setting for one of the biggest clubs in world football.