Barcelona will return to their iconic Nou Camp this weekend after more than two years, welcoming Athletic Club in a La Liga fixture.

The stadium will reopen on Saturday, 22 November, at 15:15 GMT, with a reduced capacity of 45,401 due to ongoing renovation work. The last official match held at the Nou Camp was on 28 May 2023, when Barcelona faced Real Mallorca, before the venue was closed for upgrades.

Renovations, which began in June 2023 at an estimated cost of £1.1bn, aim to modernize the stadium and expand its capacity to 105,000, making it one of the world’s largest football venues. The club had initially planned to reopen in November 2024 to coincide with its 125th anniversary, but delays have postponed the return.

While the Nou Camp was under renovation, Barcelona played most of their home games at the 55,000-seat Olympic Stadium on Montjuic hill. This season, they also staged two matches at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium, home to their women’s team, after safety concerns prevented them from using the Nou Camp.

“Barcelona celebrates being able to compete again at its stadium and continue advancing in the comprehensive transformation project of the new Camp Nou,” the club said. They are also in talks with UEFA to host next week’s Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt at the renovated venue, though official confirmation is still pending.

Opened in 1957, the Nou Camp has been Barcelona’s home for decades and previously held up to 99,000 spectators.