Barcelona in the final steps to partially reopen Spotify Camp Nou in September – report

In a positive development, Mundo Deportivo reports that FC Barcelona are expecting to receive the Certificate of Completion of Works (CFO) for the phase of the renovation of the Spotify Camp Nou today, which will allow a partial reopening of the stadium.

The plan is to accommodate 27,000 spectators, distributed between Gol Sud and the Main Stand, for the fourth round of La Liga against Valencia in September.

Once the CFO is received, the City Council will process the first occupancy licence, which will permit the stadium to host fans.

The Certificate of Completion of Works submitted today to the City Council must be signed by the project management team, the works execution management, the construction company Limak, and the club itself.

After this, it will be the City Council that formally processes the licence. Some sources point out that the deadlines are very tight for Barça to be able to host fans at Camp Nou on 13 or 14 September. However, that remains the scenario on which the club is working.

Montjuic the alternative

While the City Council processes the licence, representatives from La Liga and UEFA are scheduled to visit the Spotify Camp Nou at the end of August to inspect the progress of the stadium’s renovation.

Montjuic Stadium remains the temporary alternative. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images)

As is standard practice when a stadium is under construction, Barcelona have already informed UEFA and La Liga of an alternative plan in case the return to the Spotify Camp Nou has to be delayed by a few more days.

The fallback option would be a temporary return to Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Montjuic, although the club remain confident that the deadlines will be met and that the long-awaited return home will be possible.

Another key factor in Barcelona’s return to the Spotify Camp Nou is the draw for the Champions League group stage.

If the first match is to be played at home, scheduled for either 16 or 17 September, the stadium must be ready by then, regardless of what happens with the Barcelona vs Valencia fixture beforehand.

This is because UEFA requires all group stage home matches to be played in the same stadium. If the opening game is away, the club will have more margin. Barcelona have a deadline of August 28 to notify UEFA about the situation.