Barcelona may start 2026/27 season at Montjuic as Spotify Camp Nou faces new delay | OneFootball

Barcelona remain optimistic about returning to the Spotify Camp Nou for their La Liga clash against Valencia, but a fresh complication has emerged.

According to SPORT, while the stadium’s reopening is on track, the installation of the new roof presents a major challenge.

This new feature, the largest tensioned cable roof in Europe, requires six months of uninterrupted work, meaning fans cannot be present during the process.

The club plans to begin installing the roof in the summer of 2026, which could force the team to temporarily move back to the Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys during the first part of the 2026/27 season.

Although Barça had hoped to follow a similar schedule to this year, starting with three away games to buy time, construction experts have made it clear that even this buffer won’t be enough. This means another stint at Montjuïc could be unavoidable.

There is still optimism

Despite the challenges, there is a strong sense of optimism among the construction team and technical staff.

Camp Nou completion is facing new challenges. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

They believe everything has been executed according to plan and that Camp Nou will be ready to host Barça’s home opener against Valencia.

However, due to ongoing work, only certain areas of the stadium will be open, with an initial capacity of 30,000 fans.

The Tribuna and Gol Sud sections are expected to be ready, while the Lateral area could be added by mid-September, depending on permit approvals, potentially boosting capacity by another 15,000 seats.

Work will continue

While matches return to Camp Nou, the construction work will continue in parallel. The building firm will press on with completing the third tier, VIP rings, and other key areas.

The complete availability of the stadium, including the iconic roof, isn’t expected until after the 2025/26 season.

Within the club, some directors believe it might be more sensible to play the entire season at Montjuic and return only once the stadium is fully complete.

This, they argue, would avoid overpromising and allow faster progress. However, President Joan Laporta has dismissed that idea, reaffirming the plan to return as early as possible, even if it means a temporary return to Montjuïc during the roof work.