Spotify Camp Nou to add only 6,000 seats this season as third tier is postponed

The Spotify Camp Nou will not grow as much as Barcelona had hoped this season. The City Council's refusal to authorise a phased opening of the third tier leaves the stadium's capacity at just over 68,000 for the end of the campaign, barely 6,000 more than the current 62,652 seats. The board accepts that the Les Corts ground will only operate at full capacity, with around 105,000 seats, once the team returns from Montjuïc for good.

• The City Council has rejected the club's plans to open the third tier in phases.
• Capacity will rise from 62,652 to just over 68,000 seats with the opening of the VIP rings.
• Barcelona has ruled out installing third-tier seats for just three matches due to roof cabling logistics.
• The stadium will not be complete until the 2027-28 season, when the team returns from Montjuïc.
• The total cost of the Espai Barça project stands at 1.8 billion euros after the credit extension approved by the Assembly.

Why the Camp Nou third tier will not open this season

The capacity increase has run into an administrative obstacle. A few days ago, the Barcelona City Council rejected the club's proposal to open the third tier gradually, as was done with the areas of the stadium already in use. Instead, it will only grant a single licence for the entire space, which prevents that part of the ground from being brought into service on a phased basis.

The issue is not only bureaucratic. Even if the third-tier structure could be finished towards the end of the season and occupation permits were obtained, the club considers it unfeasible to install the seats for three matches and then remove them. The roof installation requires all the cabling to pass over that area, and taking the seats out and putting them back would be a logistical effort that is neither viable nor profitable, the club explains.

How many seats will the Spotify Camp Nou have this season

With the third tier ruled out, the increase in available seats will be limited to the two VIP rings. Their opening is scheduled for the second half of the current season, which will raise the stadium's capacity from the current 62,652 to just over 68,000. It is a modest rise compared with the final projected figure, but it allows the club to keep adding spectators on each home matchday.

When will Barcelona play again in a full Camp Nou

Barcelona's goal is to return from its new exile at Montjuïc in the first months of the 2027-28 season. By then, the club expects to have the roof installed and all seats available, with a capacity close to 105,000. That will be the first season in which the Spotify Camp Nou is fully operational after several years of construction work and temporary moves.

The financial impact of the Espai Barça delays

Not being able to open the third tier this season has a direct effect on matchday revenue. Barcelona will see lower ticket income in the final stretch of the campaign, as it will have fewer seats available than planned. Even so, stadium operations continue to climb: they generated 225 million euros last season and the forecast for the current one points to 285 million.

The board remains confident that the Les Corts ground will become one of its main sources of income. The overall Espai Barça project has a cost of 1.8 billion euros after the credit extension approved by the Assembly. Once completed, the club expects to break revenue records, with a projection of 1.45 billion euros for the 2030-31 campaign thanks to VIP boxes, hospitality and television rights.

Camp Nou as a venue for major finals

The commercial appeal of the Barcelona stadium is already paying off at institutional level. The Spotify Camp Nou will host the 2029 Champions League final and is a candidate to stage matches at the 2030 World Cup. Both are top-level events that will strengthen the international profile of the ground and its ability to generate revenue.

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