Barcelona have been given a boost in their bid to return to Camp Nou in time to host all four of their Champions League ‘League Phase’ matches in their renovated home.
According to a report from Catalunya Ràdio, UEFA — who sent officials for a long inspection at Camp Nou on Thursday — have accepted Barça’s request to play their European opener away from home on 16-18 September, allowing the Catalans time to complete the necessary work and reopen Camp Nou in time for their home debut on 30 September or 1 October.
UEFA’s regulations say a team must host all four League Phase matches at the same venue, which is why Barça secured a return to the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium until the end of February 2026 to ensure they’d have a familiar venue to use on their European nights.
The extra two weeks could be key to have Camp Nou ready for the European opener, but there is still plenty of work to be done to secure the necessary licenses to reopen the stadium for around 30,000 fans next month.
