Barcelona invites additional supporters as singing section returns to Camp Nou

Barcelona aims for Spotify Camp Nou to transform into a formidable environment for opposing teams in the concluding months of the season, having received authorization to raise the capacity to 62,652 ahead of crucial matches in LaLiga and the UEFA Champions League.

Since returning to the stadium in November, Barça has been playing before a limited crowd of 45,000, with two tiers behind one of the goals remaining entirely vacant, as they awaited the council’s approval to open the Gol Nord stand.

This week, that approval was granted, and the Gol Nord is now finished and prepared to welcome fans for the upcoming matches against Sevilla in LaLiga on Sunday and Newcastle United in the Champions League on Wednesday.

ESPN provided an exclusive first glimpse at the latest stage of the renovation of Europe’s largest stadium.

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What’s new at Camp Nou?

After spending two years at the Olympic Stadium while Spotify Camp Nou underwent a €1.5 billion renovation, Barça returned last November, but it has not felt quite right witnessing Lamine Yamal score against the backdrop of an empty Gol Nord.

However, safety inspections have now been completed, allowing an additional 17,000 fans to fill the stadium as Barça strives to defend their title in LaLiga, where they currently hold a four-point advantage over Real Madrid at the top of the standings, and to secure the Champions League trophy for the first time since 2015.

This will enhance the visual experience, both within the stadium and on television, but perhaps the most notable change is the reopening of the Grada d’Animació, the singing section, located at the opposite end of the pitch in the Gol Sur.

The section, which accommodates approximately 1,200 fans, designated for the Grada d’Animació will finally be operational for the match against Sevilla. The club is optimistic that the supporters in this area will help energize the crowd, acting as the 12th man when it is most crucial, particularly on Wednesday when Newcastle visits with their round-of-16 tie delicately balanced at 1-1.

“It makes a significant difference,” Barça director Joan Sentelles told ESPN regarding the importance of expanding the capacity and reinstating the singing section. “It’s essential to have the Grada d’Animació open.

“We anticipate that they will strongly support the team, and that the atmosphere they generate will inspire the other fans attending the matches, allowing us to unite in support of the team.

“Now this venue can truly start to become a pressure cooker, which is what we seek to bolster the team.”

What’s still to come?

Spotify Camp Nou will feel more complete with all four sides filled with supporters, but considerable work remains to finalize the stadium.

The third tier still requires completion. Once finished, work can commence on installing the roof, which is expected to take up to four months. Sentelles estimates that the project will not be fully completed until 2028, with the stadium set to host FIFA World Cup matches in 2030.

In the interim, the plan is to open the third tier in three or four phases, but the timeline for each section’s readiness will depend on council approval. Modern amenities also need to be added to the currently sparse concourses, and the VIP areas require refinement.

Upon completion, Camp Nou will once again be the largest stadium in Europe, accommodating around 105,000 supporters, which is 15,000 more than Wembley and over 20,000 more than Real Madrid’s renovated Bernabéu.

“I am eager to see it completed, to be honest,” Sentelles added. “I have stated that this place is going to be a pressure cooker, but it will be even more so once the roof is installed.

“There have been substantial enhancements to the old venue, particularly in the third tier, in terms of accessibility and comfort, which were previously lacking. Now there will be facilities in the third tier: food and beverage outlets, lifts, escalators — it’s remarkable.

“It’s a significantly improved stadium. Objectively, it’s much better than what we had, and I am truly looking forward to seeing it filled and hearing the roars of support for the team.”