Camp Nou is a world-renowned football stadium located in Barcelona, Spain. Serving as the home ground for FC Barcelona since its completion in 1957, it stands as the largest stadium in Europe and one of the largest globally, boasting a capacity of nearly 100,000 spectators. Beyond its status as a premier sporting venue, Camp Nou is a significant cultural landmark that has hosted major events, including UEFA Champions League finals, FIFA World Cup matches, and iconic musical performances. The site is a central pilgrimage destination for football fans worldwide, featuring an extensive museum that chronicles the rich history, trophies, and legendary players of FC Barcelona. Currently, the stadium is undergoing extensive renovations as part of the Espai Barça project, designed to modernize its facilities while maintaining its status as a top-tier global sports arena.
10 March 2026: First Occupancy License Granted for Camp Nou Phase 1C
On 10 March 2026, FC Barcelona officially received the first occupancy license from the Barcelona City Council for the stadium's Phase 1C renovations. This authorization allowed the venue to increase its total capacity to 62,652 spectators, though the Gol Nord stand continued to operate with two of its three tiers remaining closed to the public.
1937: Construction of De Kuip Stadium
In 1937, the De Kuip stadium was completed as the home ground for the football club Feyenoord, serving as an architectural inspiration for later stadiums like Camp Nou due to its continuous oval-ring stand design.
June 1950: Signing of László Kubala
In June 1950, FC Barcelona signed László Kubala, a player who would become one of the club's greatest icons and serve as a key motivation for building the larger Camp Nou stadium.
November 1950: Approval for Stadium Land Acquisition
On 14 November 1950, club president Agustí Montal i Galobart secured an agreement from the assembly of members to purchase land in Hospitalet de Llobregat intended for the construction of a new stadium, which would eventually be swapped for land in Les Corts.
1950: Acquisition of stadium land
In 1950, the land that would eventually become the site for Camp Nou was officially acquired by FC Barcelona for the future stadium project.
February 1951: Project Commission Recommendation
In February 1951, the commission tasked with overseeing the stadium project recommended an alternative site for the construction of the new venue.
November 1953: Appointment of Francesc Miró-Sans
In November 1953, Francesc Miró-Sans was appointed as the president of FC Barcelona with the specific mission to relaunch the stadium project.
March 1954: Laying of the stadium's first stone
On 28 March 1954, a solemn ceremony took place involving a large procession from Camp de Les Corts to La Masia de Can Planes, where the first stone of the new stadium was officially laid in the presence of club and government officials.
March 1954: Construction of Camp Nou Begins
On March 1954, construction of the Camp Nou stadium officially commenced because the previous venue, Camp de Les Corts, could not be expanded to meet growing needs.
September 1957: Inauguration of Camp Nou
On 24 September 1957, coinciding with the feast of La Mercè, the Camp Nou stadium was officially inaugurated. The ceremony featured a solemn mass, the performance of Handel's Messiah, and a parade involving various football clubs and Barcelona sports sections before a crowd of 90,000 spectators.
1957: Opening of Camp Nou
In 1957, the Camp Nou stadium officially opened its doors in Barcelona, marking the beginning of its tenure as the home ground for the La Liga football club FC Barcelona.
1964: 1964 European Nations' Cup Matches
In 1964, Camp Nou was selected to host half of the four matches played during the European Nations' Cup tournament.
May 1972: 1972 European Cup Winners' Cup Final
In May 1972, Camp Nou hosted the European Cup Winners' Cup final, which saw Rangers defeat Dynamo Moscow with a final score of 3–2.
1975: Installation of Electronic Scoreboards
In 1975, the stadium infrastructure was upgraded with the installation of new electronic scoreboards.
1982: 1982 FIFA World Cup Matches
During the 1982 FIFA World Cup, Camp Nou hosted five tournament matches, most notably the opening game of the competition.
1982: 1982 World Cup at Camp Nou
During the 1982 World Cup, Camp Nou served as a primary venue, hosting the inauguration ceremony on June 13, 1982, and more tournament matches than any other stadium in Spain. This included the opening match where Belgium defeated Argentina 1–0, as well as several round-robin matches and a semi-final between Poland and Italy.
1982: Camp Nou Stadium Expansion
In 1982, the stadium underwent significant renovations to prepare for the FIFA World Cup, which included the addition of VIP lounges, a new press area, and a third tier. This expansion project increased the total capacity of the stadium to 121,401 spectators.
1984: Opening of the Barcelona club museum
In 1984, the Camp Nou stadium officially opened its club museum to the public.
March 1986: Record Attendance at European Cup Quarter-Final
On 5 March 1986, Camp Nou hosted a European Cup quarter-final match between Barcelona and Juventus, where a record-breaking crowd of 120,000 spectators was in attendance.
May 1989: European Cup Final 1989
On 24 May 1989, the Camp Nou hosted the European Cup final between AC Milan and Steaua București, resulting in a 4–0 victory for the Italian club.
1989: 1989 European Cup Final
In 1989, Camp Nou served as the prestigious venue for the European Cup final, marking a significant milestone in the stadium's history of hosting major continental club football matches.
1992: 1992 Summer Olympics Football Final
Camp Nou served as the host stadium for the football tournament's final match during the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona.
1993: Major stadium renovation project
During the 1993–94 period, the stadium underwent significant structural renovations, including lowering the pitch by 2.5 meters, removing security gaps, and replacing standing areas with individual seating.
1998: Completion of infrastructure upgrades and UEFA recognition
In 1998, the stadium completed upgrades to its press box, grandstands, parking, and lighting systems, leading UEFA to grant the facility a five-star stadium rating during the 1998–99 season.
1999: 1999 UEFA Champions League Final
On this date in 1999, the Camp Nou hosted the UEFA Champions League Final between Manchester United and Bayern Munich. Despite Bayern Munich leading for the majority of the match due to an early goal by Mario Basler, Manchester United secured a dramatic comeback victory with injury time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær, completing a historic treble.
2000: Official renaming of the stadium
In the 2000–01 season, club members voted to formally change the official name of the stadium from 'Estadi del Barcelona' to its widely used nickname, 'Camp Nou'.
September 2007: Norman Foster selected to restructure Camp Nou
On September 2007, British architect Norman Foster and his firm were chosen to lead a major renovation of Camp Nou, which aimed to increase capacity to 105,000 seats at a cost of €250 million.
2008: Financial crisis impacts stadium plans
During 2008, the global financial crisis forced the Barcelona board to postpone the sale of the Mini Estadi training ground, which subsequently caused the planned stadium remodeling project to be delayed.
2009: Planned start of remodeling
In 2009, the initial schedule for the Camp Nou renovation project was set to begin, though the project faced significant financing obstacles due to economic conditions.
May 2010: Sandro Rosell opposes Mini Estadi sale
In May 2010, presidential candidate Sandro Rosell publicly opposed the sale of the Mini Estadi, labeling the training ground as part of the club's "crown jewels" that should not be sold to finance renovations.
June 2010: Sandro Rosell elected president
On 30 June 2010, the election of Sandro Rosell as the president of Barcelona effectively brought the planned remodeling of Camp Nou to a permanent halt.
2011: Targeted completion date for renovation
The renovation of Camp Nou was originally slated for completion in time for the 2011–12 season, a timeline that was abandoned following the shift in club leadership and economic constraints.
January 2014: Decision to Remodel Camp Nou
In January 2014, the Barcelona board of directors opted against building a brand-new stadium due to financial concerns, choosing instead to initiate a remodeling project for Camp Nou that aimed to increase its total capacity to 105,000 spectators.
May 2015: Release of Refined Expansion Plans
During May 2015, a detailed and refined plan was unveiled for the Camp Nou expansion, which specifically highlighted the addition of a roof canopy over the seating areas and provided granular details regarding the seating capacity increases.
October 2017: Barcelona vs. Las Palmas behind closed doors
On 1 October 2017, FC Barcelona played a La Liga match against Las Palmas at Camp Nou in an empty stadium. The decision to hold the game without spectators was made due to significant political turmoil taking place in the Catalonia region on that date.
2017: Original Project Timeline Commencement
In 2017, the initial timeline for the major redevelopment of the stadium was scheduled to begin, with project estimates anticipating a total cost of approximately €600 million.
2019: Adjustment of Construction Schedule
By 2019, the project schedule was revised to reflect new projections that construction would not commence until the following year.
2020: Planned Construction Start
Under the updated project timeline established by 2019, the construction work for the expansion of the stadium was officially planned to begin during the summer of 2020.
2021: Initial Completion Target
The initial project schedule established in 2014 set early 2021 as the target date for the conclusion of the Camp Nou renovation project.
April 2022: Confirmation of Camp Nou Renovations
In April 2022, the club officially confirmed that major renovation work on Camp Nou would commence following the conclusion of the 2022–23 football season.
July 2022: Rebranding of Camp Nou to Spotify Camp Nou
In July 2022, the iconic stadium was officially rebranded as Spotify Camp Nou following a $310 million naming rights agreement established between FC Barcelona and the music streaming platform.
2022: Commencement of Camp Nou Renovations
In 2022, the comprehensive renovation process for Camp Nou officially began following the conclusion of the 2022–2023 football season.
June 2023: Commencement of Stadium Renovations
Construction crews officially began renovation work on Camp Nou in June 2023, initiating the major project to modernize the stadium.
2023: Temporary Relocation to Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys
Starting in 2023, FC Barcelona moved its home matches to the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys to accommodate the ongoing construction work at Camp Nou.
December 2024: Anticipated Return to Stadium
Barcelona president Joan Laporta stated in June 2023 that the club expects to return to play at Camp Nou by December 2024, at which point the majority of the stadium renovations are expected to be finished.
2024: Final Completion Goal
As part of the updated planning in 2019, the goal for the final completion of the entire Camp Nou expansion project was set for the year 2024.
2024: Continued Use of Alternative Home Ground
Throughout 2024, the club continued to utilize the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys as its primary home venue for the duration of the 2024–25 season due to the stadium renovations.
November 2025: Partial Reopening of Camp Nou
In November 2025, Camp Nou officially reopened its doors to the public with a reduced seating capacity as renovation works remained in progress.
November 2025: Open Training Session at Camp Nou
On 7 November 2025, the football club held an open training session that drew an audience of 21,795 fans to the stadium.
June 2026: Final Completion of Stadium Renovations
The extensive renovation project for Camp Nou is officially scheduled to reach its final completion in June 2026.
June 2026: Scheduled Completion of Renovations
The final completion for all renovation work at the Camp Nou stadium is currently scheduled to take place in June 2026.
2027: Revised Camp Nou Completion Date
The completion of the Camp Nou stadium renovation project has been rescheduled to 2027, marking a one-year delay from the original timeline established for the construction.
Mentioned in this timeline
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