Barcelona granted licence to increase Camp Nou capacity ahead of Newcastle clash | OneFootball

Barcelona have finally met the requirements to open their fourth stand at Camp Nou, and will be able to increase their capacity. Thus far they have been playing with a capacity of 46,400 fans and three stands open, due to the fact that the safety standards set by the City Council had not been met behind the Gol Nord stand.

The club had originally briefed that they would be able to reopen the fourth stand for their first home game in 2026 in mid-January, but as has been the case throughout the project, progress has been beset by delays. Now though, the City Council have given the green light to activate the final phase of their reopening plan, referred to as ‘1C’, following their latest inspection.

Barcelona granted 1C licence for Spotify Camp Nou

The capacity will be increased by about 16,000 fans, an increase of around a third of the stadium, and by proxy a rise in revenue too. MD say that the new capacity until the end of the season will be 62,700. Their plan is to reopen the fourth stand for their home game against Sevilla this Sunday (16:15 CEST), which coincides with election day. Joan Laporta and Victor Font are vying for the presidency, and the vote will take place on Sunday.

Barcelona hope for UEFA approval against Newcastle United

The Catalan giants are also working on getting UEFA approval in time for next Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Newcastle United, the return leg of their Round of 16. That is according to Cadena SER, but most of the new seats will go to club members. Barcelona have assured that 14,000 of the newly available seats will be allocated to members, who have the chance to buy season tickets for the remainder of the campaign. The final phase is the reopening of the third tier, which is not expected until next season.