Barcelona faces fine and financial losses due to delays in Camp Nou renovation
Barcelona faces penalties and reduced sponsorship income as delays in Camp Nou renovations force the team to continue playing away from their home ground.
Documentation Delays Force Relocation
Barcelona confirmed this week that their upcoming La Liga clash against Valencia will be played at the Johan Cruyff Stadium instead of Camp Nou. According to Cadena Ser, the club failed to secure the necessary documentation to reopen its iconic venue, which remains under renovation.
Contract Clause Could Trigger Fines
Journalists Sique Rodríguez and Adrià Soldevilla revealed that Barça must complete all VIP boxes and have them fully operational by January 1, 2026. The spaces were sold to Legends, a subsidiary of Sixth Street. If the deadline is missed, the club could face contractual fines. The board, led by Joan Laporta, is reportedly in negotiations to review this clause.
Spotify Naming Rights at Risk
Barcelona’s biggest commercial agreement may also be impacted. Spotify, which owns the naming rights to Camp Nou for 20 years, pledged to pay €20 million per season once the stadium reopens. Until then, the brand is paying only €5 million annually.
Cadena Ser also noted two exit clauses in the contract:
- If Camp Nou does not reopen before July 2028, Spotify could unilaterally terminate the deal.
- Alternatively, the company can give a one-year notice of non-renewal, or argue that the contract only takes full effect after construction is complete.
On-Field Impact
Despite these off-field challenges, Barcelona return to action on Sunday (14) against Valencia at Johan Cruyff Stadium. Swedish prospect Roony Bardghji could make his debut in the match.
A likely lineup includes: Joan García (Szczesny); Koundé, Christensen (Ronald Araújo), Eric García and Gerard Martín; Marc Bernal, Pedri and Dani Olmo (Fermín López); Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Ferrán Torres (Lewandowski or Rashford).
